


Let the Bells Chime

by MissMy80sShows



Series: Season 5 - What Could Have Happened on SMK [3]
Category: Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-04-18 09:06:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 52
Words: 79,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14209818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMy80sShows/pseuds/MissMy80sShows
Summary: Lee and Amanda begin merging their lives completely together but have to get through Joe's wedding and a woman from Lee's past first.





	1. Chapter 1

"So, what would you like to do for dinner tonight?" Amanda asked as she played with Lee's hair, lightly running her fingers through it.

It was late Saturday afternoon, and they were lounging in Lee's apartment after Dotty insisted they needed their own alone time and told Amanda she didn't want to see hide nor hair of her until Sunday night.

"I'm not sure, what would you like to do? Take out? We can go out, or we can swing by the market and pick up a few things," Lee responded as he flipped through the newspaper in his hands.

After their first successful week of working Lee into their daily routines, Amanda had to admit, having alone time felt nice. He had eaten dinner with them each night and stayed over on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday night he was working on a last minute surveillance stakeout with Francine. By the time the surveillance crew gave up, it was after two in the morning and Lee didn't want to take the chance of waking the boys so he headed back to his apartment instead. Friday night became a repeat of Thursday's stakeout, only this time it payed off; they were able to catch the suspect before he planted the bomb meant to destroy a newly elected Congress man's car. Unfortunately, that also meant a long night of interrogation. The sun was just beginning to dawn as Lee crawled into the empty bed in his apartment. Amanda woke him just after eleven when she stopped by to check on him.

Lee sighed and leaned into Amanda's hand, which was still playing with his hair. "You keep doing that I'm going to be too comfortable to want to eat," he admitted, still feeling the after effects of the long nights and too little sleep to make up for it.

Eyeing Lee, Amanda made a decision. "Take out then, but from where? Thai food or pizza? My treat," she said smiling.

"Thai food sounds perfect so you choose the place," Lee answered, closing his eyes and relaxing back against the couch.

"Sweetheart, you're still tired, you should go lay down and rest. I can do a few things around here," Amanda said as Lee yawned.

"No, if I sleep now, I won't sleep tonight," Lee said between yawn again. Leaning forward, he put the paper on the coffee table, then picked up the cup of coffee that had long since become cold and taking a sip, he grimaced at the taste. "I'm going to make more coffee though, you want some?" he asked.

"No, thank you, Sweetheart. You know, it was awful nice of Mother to take care of the boys this weekend," Amanda said as Lee walked toward the kitchen.

"I'm going to thank her when I see her. Honestly, after the last few days, I'm enjoying the quiet. Not that I don't love being in your house with the boys, it's just… I must be getting too old for this," Lee lamented.

Amanda laughed, "I know what you mean. They are boys and sometimes I think they forget how loud they can be. Especially since Philip has found those new bands…. Guns N' Roses, I think is one of them and Stone Temple… something. I don't remember. It all sounds like noise to me."

From the kitchen, Amanda could hear Lee laughing. "I think the Colonel said something like that when I was his age too," he called out. "Maybe if we decide to move, we can soundproof his room," he added.

Amanda smiled and for the next few minutes she was quiet, thinking about the possibilities of them moving. "Do you think we can talk about that? I know you want to include the boys and Mother in the process but maybe we should talk first," she said as Lee entered the room again with a fresh cup of coffee.

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" Lee asked as he sat back down beside her on the couch. He tapped his lap to indicate he wanted her closer so she swung her legs over his.

"Well, for starters, where do you want to start looking for houses? I mean, I would like to find something in the same school district so the boys won't have to change schools mid-year if that's possible," Amanda began.

"Sounds reasonable. What else?" Lee said as he sipped his coffee.

"Well, we'll have to figure out a budget. I don't want to overspend just because it has more space. I mean, the boys are going to be going off to college in just a few years so we don't need anything too big. It will only be us and Mother…" Amanda continued but Lee stopped her.

"Sooo does that mean what I think it means?" he asked tentatively.

"Does what mean what?" Amanda asked confused.

Lee didn't know how to ask the question, so he simply said, "Charlie?"

"Charlie? What do you… oh…" Amanda stopped when she had remembered their conversation about having a baby. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart, I've been so wrapped up in helping plan our wedding and being home and getting you settled with the boys… You're right… we do need a bigger place," she said as she reached up to touch his shoulder.

Lee smiled at Amanda then said, "I am going to miss this place a little, though."

"Why's that? You haven't been here that long. You barely even know your neighbors," Amanda commented.

"Well, there are a lot of memories in this place," Lee teased.

Amanda just laughed, "You mean all those girls with names that end in I?"

Lee shook his head and said "No, none of them have been here, remember? Only you. We've had some… interesting… evenings here, just the two of us."

Amanda narrowed her eyes trying to figure out what he was talking about. She still wasn't sure when she said, "We'll need to decide what to do with all our furniture. What to keep, what to put in storage."

"Well, I definitely want to keep this couch. We have a lot of great memories on this couch," Lee winked at her as he teased her again, only this time he was smiling so big, his dimples deep.

"You mean that night… when we… on this couch," Amanda bit her bottom lip as she spoke softly remembering.

"That night… wait… which night are you thinking of?" Lee stopped.

"You remember. THAT night. When we… you know… on the couch," Amanda started blushing.

Lee turned his head slightly, grinning. "Well, what about that night in the dining room? Or the kitchen?" he asked.

"But the night on the couch, that was the first time…" Amanda's voice was barely a whisper.

Lee began laughing loudly as he pulled her forward to kiss her, "That was the first time you jumped me if I remember correctly."

"Ohhh ho ho, I jumped you? I did nothing of the sort. You practically attacked me after Billy left and told us we could have an extra day before we got ready to go to Pinetop," Amanda said defiantly as she sat back, slightly out of reach.

"But you were the one that started doing that …. that… thing you do," Lee said as he shook his finger at her.

"What thing? Lee, what are you talking about?" Amanda asked her eyes wide.

Lee slid his hand beside her head, pulling her forward and said, "That thing," just before he kissed her. Amanda kissed him back, moaning lightly when their lips separated. "Yeah, that," Lee said again for good measure.

Amanda moved her legs off Lee's so she could move and straddle him where he sat. Leaning forward she kissed his lips first, lightly. Slowly she sprinkled kisses across his cheek toward his ear where she whispered, "Maybe we need a re-enactment of that night, just so we don't forget what happened."

Lee swallowed hard before saying, "That is exactly what you did and you know it."


	2. Chapter 2

The first move Amanda made was to take Lee's almost empty coffee cup and put it on the table. Then she leaned forward where she took his earlobe between her teeth and gently pulled on it, causing Lee to twitch. Moving down his neck to the collar of the cotton T shirt he was wearing, she teased him by running her tongue along the edge. She then licked his neck just under his Adam's apple as he dropped his head back against the couch. Moving to the other side of his neck, she nipped the skin up toward his other ear where she stopped. She lightly blew in his ear before whispering, "Lose the shirt."

Lee didn't have to be told twice. Amanda very rarely took control like this when they made love, allowing him to take the lead but the first time she had, was on the couch. He reached behind his head and pulled the T shirt off, tossing it off to the side before wrapping his arms around Amanda's waist. Amanda ran her hands down his shoulders to his elbows, tickling him with her light touch. She then moved her hands across his chest, brushing her fingers ever so lightly across his skin back up to cup his face in both hands.

Leaning forward, she assaulted his mouth with hers, her kisses demanding, as her tongue parted his lips, circling his tongue before retreating back into her own mouth. She moaned lightly into his mouth again, Lee hummed back in response, "Manda." When their lips finally separated, they were both breathless. Amanda leaned back slightly to pull her own shirt off, also tossing it off to the side carelessly.

Lee moved his hands up her ribs to her back to unclasp the bra she was wearing. Sliding the straps off her arms, he flung the garment behind him, not caring where it landed. Instead, he moved his hands across her bare back as Amanda arched toward him, allowing their bodies full contact. As she arched, her hips rocked across his lap and his ever hardening erection, well defined in the sweatpants he was wearing. Amanda was fully aware of his body's reactions and rocked her hips again to prove it.

Lee looked at her, narrowing his eyes as he grinned, his dimples deeper, his eyes dark with desire. "A-man-da. You are such a tease," he growled as he pulled her tightly against him.

"I am not. I can't help it if you can't control your hormones," she teased back, rocking her hips again.

"Oh, my hormones? And who's hormones are in charge at the moment?" Lee asked, bucking his hips slightly in response.

Amanda backed herself off his lap to stand. Without a word, she quickly removed her jeans and panties, kicking them off to the side in an uncharacteristic bunch. Still standing she said, in her most demanding tone, "Lose the sweats, too."

Lee simply lifted his hips high enough to slide off his sweats and boxers, once again, not caring where they landed.

Amanda stood, admiring her husband's seated body for a minute, biting her lip before she remembered. "Do what I say…. Don't move from this spot until I get back," she commanded. She quickly moved to Lee's bedroom to get a condom out of the nightstand drawer where they were kept. She returned to find Lee still sitting in the same spot on the couch, smiling.

"Forget something?" he asked, casually.

"I didn't forget anything, I just wasn't planning on … this… and we need to be careful for a little longer. I don't need Mother thinking we rushed into our wedding because we had to… you know…." Amanda said breathlessly.

Tossing the foil packet on the couch beside Lee, Amanda straddled his lap again, her knees on either side of his hips. She placed her hands on his chest, feeling every muscle under her fingertips. Moving upward and out, she covered his chest and shoulders, before leaning forward to kiss him again, this time softly, gently nipping his lips with her teeth.

Moving her hands to the back of his head, Amanda toyed with his soft, fine hair as she continued to kiss him. Lee mimicked her actions, burying his own hands in her hair. They held each other, just kissing, for several minutes before Amanda reached over to get the packet beside them. Panting slightly from the anticipation, she pulled the condom out gently, then moving her hips back just a little, she covered his length quickly. Lee didn't say a word but raised an eyebrow.

Raising up on her knees, Amanda leaned forward slightly to line herself up with his throbbing erection. Lee took advantage of this position, taking her nipple into his mouth, suckling it as she cried out in surprise. He kneaded her breast gently with his hand as he laved the puckered peak with his tongue. Moving to the other breast, he gently pinched and rolled the tight tip between his fingers drawing a moan from Amanda's lips as she arched closer to his mouth.

Amanda's arms were on either side of Lee's head, balancing herself. She dropped her head back as he continued his ministrations on her breasts. Unconsciously, her hands found his hair again, tangling together. Realizing she was quickly losing control of the situation, she opened her eyes and bit her bottom lip before sinking down on him. Once he was buried to the hilt, she stopped moving and just stared into his eyes.

Leaning forward so they were forehead to forehead, Amanda began rocking her hips. Lee smiled as he moved his hands to her hips. He held back on the counter thrusts his body was begging for, remembering what happened the first time. He could feel her body becoming hotter under his hands, her breathing becoming ragged as she continued to rock. As her skin pinkened, her muscles began to shake, she whispered, "I can't."

Lee wrapped one arm around her waist, the other across her back. "Just let it happen, Manda, remember. Don't fight it," he whispered back.

Amanda could barely keep the rhythm she had started. Her body was on fire, her muscles shaking as she fought for control of what was happening. Taking a deep breath, she released it, stuttering as she did, trying to relax enough to allow the orgasm to take her.

Lee began gently counter thrusting each rock of her hips. He knew Amanda's orgasm was just beginning much like it had the first time and as before, the intensity scared her. She began to whimper as the first contraction started, her hips jerking involuntarily. Lee continued to thrust, still gently, as Amanda lost control of the rhythm. She cried out as the contractions of her internal muscles became stronger, tightening around him, pulling him deeper.

Amanda's entire body was shaking, heat poured off her as she rode the contractions and each thrust of Lee's hips, crying his name the entire time. Lee's heart swelled as he heard her say "I love you" before she finally collapsed against him. He held her close, against his chest, still buried deep inside, holding back on his own release. When he felt her breathing start to even off, Lee lifted her gently off his rock hard erection to lay her beside him on the couch. Moving quickly, he covered her body with his, sliding deep inside her once again.

Amanda tilted her hips and wrapped her legs around Lee's, not an easy task on this narrow couch. Lee looked down at her face, gently brushing her sweat soaked hair off her cheek. "Okay?" he asked, no other words needed for explanation.

"Yes," she whispered back.

He began to move, building tension again in her body, only this was different. It wasn't the fire that had just exploded, this was like sparks of electricity, slowing flickering outward from deep inside. With each roll of his hips, another spark, Amanda released a sharp moan of pleasure. Lee could feel the tightening, deep in his belly, his own orgasm signally it's start. Moving a little faster, Amanda's moans became louder, each one slightly longer than the previous one.

"Lee... " Amanda cried as she exploded again, electric sparks jerking her hips again, tightening her fingers around his back, trying to pull him closer.

Lee thrust harder, faster as his own orgasm took hold, exploding with ferocity. With a final thrust, he stilled, his head on Amanda's shoulder, he whispered, "I love you, Manda." She hugged him close, rubbing his back with her hands. Tears silently slipped down her face. As Lee finally got his breathing under control, he pushed back to see her crying. She had cried the first time and he knew it wasn't from pain but sheer love and joy over what they experienced together. He leaned forward again, to whisper in her ear, "We are definitely keeping the couch."


	3. Chapter 3

Lee and Amanda laid on the couch for a while after adjusting their positions, recovering their strength. Lee ran his fingers through Amanda's hair repeatedly as he held her close. He could feel her body relaxing more and more the longer they lay together. "Amanda, we should probably shower before we pick up dinner," he suggested.

"I don't want to move yet. Besides, if we shower together, we won't be going anywhere any time soon," Amanda teased.

Climbing off the couch, Lee smiled at his wife. Crouching down, he kissed her gently as he said, "You stay here then. I'll be out in a few minutes. I think I worked up an appetite and Thai food sounds great."

"Don't use all the hot water," Amanda called after him as he walked away. Whispering to herself she said, "He's gonna use all the hot water. I should have showered first." Amanda heard the water turn on in the bathroom off Lee's bedroom. As she lay on the couch, listening to the sound of the shower running, she was trying to decide if she wanted to move or not.

Finally making a decision, she got up and headed toward the bathroom. She could hear Lee humming happily in the shower as she quietly opened the door and slipped inside. Pushing the shower curtain aside, she climbed into the shower behind Lee, causing him to jump.

"Hey! You scared me. I thought you said showering together was a bad idea," he said, pulling her close.

"I wanted to make sure you left me some hot water, now push over," she said as she tried to maneuver around him in the small space.

"A-man-da! Okay, okay. Our next bathroom is going to have a big walk-in shower, big enough for the two of us," Lee stated.

"Of all things you can say we need to have, a walk-in shower? Really?" Amanda dropped her head back into the water.

"Well," Lee said, as he put his arms around her, "why not get what we want, right?" He kissed the tip of her nose.

"Uh huh. I told you this would happen. Now if you'll give me a few minutes I can wash up so we can get some dinner. I'm starving," Amanda said gently, pushing him out of the shower.

Lee dried himself off and dressed quickly in a pair of jeans and a T shirt he knew Amanda loved. A few minutes later, Amanda joined him in the bedroom. She got clothes out of the closet and as she was sitting on the edge of the bed she made a decision. "We need to keep your bed," she said firmly.

"My bed? What's wrong with yours?" Lee asked.

"Well, to the best of my knowledge, only you and I have slept in this bed, right?" Amanda began as she started dressing.

"Yeah, I bought it new when I moved here," Lee answered, trying to figure out where she was going with this.

"And, this is the bed you and I made love on for the first time," Amanda blushed a little.

"Yeah? Anything else?" Lee asked.

"Well, I could list off a few other reasons but I'm too hungry," Amanda giggled. Buttoning up the blouse she had taken out of the closet, she declared, "Are we getting take out or did you get your second wind?"

"I still like the idea of takeout. Why don't we pick up the real estate magazine and see if we can find anything that peaks our interest, then tomorrow we can drive around and see the area. If we like it, we can contact the realtor for a showing. What do you say?" Lee asked.

"I say that's a perfect way to spend our weekend, Sweetheart," Amanda answered smiling as she stood and took his hand in hers.

They drove to Lee's favorite Thai restaurant to pick up dinner. As they waited, they walked across the street to the convenience store and picked up the real estate magazine Lee had mentioned. Next door, they stopped in the local wine shop where Lee selected a few bottles of Riesling and Gewurztraminer to go with dinner. By the time they were done, their dinner was ready.

The drive back to the apartment was quick. As they drove, Amanda couldn't help but comment, "We'll have to find all the closest restaurants when we move. And the closest park for the boys. You know how much they love to play basketball."

"We can also put a hoop in the driveway for them, too. That day I took them to the park, it was kind of fun playing ball with them. I know Jamie wasn't thrilled but hey, if it wasn't for that day, I wouldn't have known how much he liked photography. Speaking of which, how's his project coming along. You know the one he was talking about last week…. Where he has to take pictures of everywhere he goes but without people in them?" Lee went on a very uncharacteristic ramble.

Amanda reached over and touched his shoulder lovingly. "Well, I guess we have two requirements for our new house then. A walk-in shower and a decent driveway for a basketball hoop," she said.

"And at least five bedrooms. I bet the boys are going to love having their own rooms," Lee said.

"And a garden for Mother. We have to have a garden," Amanda piped up.

Lee thought for a moment before adding, "And a nursery. For… you know… when the time's right."

Amanda rubbed his shoulder again, "Definitely a nursery," she agreed as they parked Lee's car in front of his building.

Locking pinky fingers, they walked into the building, Lee carrying their dinner, Amanda carrying the bag with the wine.

The first thing Lee noticed was the blinking light on his answering machine when they walked in the door. Tossing his keys on the table beside the door, he stopped and pressed play. Billy's voice bellowed from the machine, "Scarecrow, It's me. Answer the damn phone, man. Listen I have a hot tip for you. It's personal. Call me when you get this. Damn I hate these things."

Lee looked at Amanda, confused, "I don't know what that's about. You think I should call him back now?"

Amanda raised her eyebrows and shoulders as if to say she didn't know.

"Well, he said it was personal so I think it can wait. I'm starving," Lee admitted.

In the dining room, Amanda set the table, as Lee unpacked the bags. "Which wine would you like?" Lee asked holding up both of them.

"Whichever one you prefer, Sweetheart," Amanda answered.

Lee chose the Gewurztraminer, pouring a glass for each of them. Sitting down, he began serving out pad thai, choo chee, Panang curry, and pad ga paow on their dishes. "Amanda, Thai food was a great idea. I was trying to think of something to make with the boys on Tuesday… do they like Thai? I have a few recipes I'd like to try," Lee asked.

"Well, they're kind of picky right now. I wanted them to try it last year but they both simply turned their noses up at the idea of it and I ended up getting burgers from Marvin's instead," Amanda explained.

"What if we tried a few simple recipes - Thai Satay, scallion pancakes, pad ki mao and a simple Malai salad? It's all pretty simple, chicken and vegetables with noodles. They can recognize all the ingredients and maybe if they make it themselves they'll be more apt to try it," Lee suggested.

Amanda smiled, as she said, "Maybe if you explain it to them, they'll try it. Or better yet, don't tell them what it is until after they eat it. I did that when they were little. I wouldn't tell them what something was until after they ate it."

Lee just laughed, "Well, if I want them to trust me, I don't think I can get away with that trick," he said. "Not to change the subject but what do you think Billy's message means?"


	4. Chapter 4

Amanda looked at Lee, trying to figure out what Billy's message could have meant. "Are you working on anything right now? Other than that surveillance project with Francine?" she asked.

"No, not right now. He said… he said it was personal. I don't know what he means by that. You know what, I'm gonna call him," Lee said as he got up and crossed the room to pick up the phone.

He dialed Billy's private number which he knew would be forwarded to Billy's home number if he wasn't in the office. After several rings, Billy answered, "Melrose."

"Hey Billy, it's me, Scarecrow. I got your message, what's up?" Lee asked.

Billy was surprised Lee called him back so quickly. "Scarecrow, listen, are you and Amanda still looking for a house?" he asked.

"Yeah, we were just talking about that. We picked up the local real estate magazine and figured we spend the day tomorrow looking at locations. Why? Please tell me you don't have an assignment for us tomorrow," Lee said firmly.

"No, no, no, nothing like that. I had a memo come across my desk this afternoon. You know how the Agency is always trying to sell off properties it no longer needs? Well, next weekend they are having another sell off. There are nine properties listed, three of them in Arlington," Billy informed him. Lee could practically hear him smiling.

"But how many people got that memo, Billy? All of management I'm sure," Lee said.

"Yes, but how many are actually looking at those memos? Tell you what, why don't I give you the addresses and you can check out the neighborhoods? I know Amanda's concerned about the boys and changing schools… who knows, maybe one of those houses is close enough. You never know, Scarecrow, stranger things have happened," Billy laughed.

"All right, all right. Yeah, that sounds good. What are the addresses?" Lee agreed. Billy gave him the street addresses which Lee wrote down, confirming each one. "Thanks Billy. I'll keep you posted." Lee returned to the table where Amanda waited for him, eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Billy gave us a couple of addresses for us to check out. Occasionally the Agency sells off properties it doesn't use or need anymore and next weekend they are selling off 9 of them, three in Arlington. Do you recognize any of these streets?" Lee handed her the paper he had written on.

Amanda looked at each of them, trying to figure out where they might be located. "Hmm, this one… yes, this is about 4 or 5 miles from my house. That neighborhood is okay, most of the homes are small, you know, like, um… ranch houses I think they call them. Not very big. Now this one… this is... " Amanda closed her eyes and tried to think, "I think this one is in Ashton Heights. And this one… Mapledale Court. I think this is right near my neighborhood. Its close to Barcroft Knolls Park. I've brought the boys over there for a few soccer games. Those houses over there… Lee, that's a pretty nice neighborhood. I don't know if we could afford that."

"Well, that's why these sell-offs are great. The Agency sells the property for a fraction of the cost. You see most of the properties are acquired through seizures, drug busts, that kind of thing. The Agency uses the properties for awhile for safe houses, for dignitaries or simply for covers. When they feel the property isn't needed, they sell them off," Lee explained. Taking her hands in his, he said, excitedly, "Amanda, do you know what this means?"

Amanda smiled at his excitement. "No, but I think you're gonna tell me, aren't you?" she said.

"Amanda, we'll be able to afford almost anything we want. Because these houses are private sale through the Agency, it also means we can get the mortgage right through the Agency Credit Union. They can take the payments right out of our paychecks," Lee explained, smiling.

"But Sweetheart, what about insurance and all that? My insurance is figured into my mortgage now so I don't have to worry about an extra bill every month. It only adds a little bit each month but it makes it much easier to pay," Amanda told him.

Lee laughed, "That I don't know but we will figure out, huh? Now, what do you want to do tonight? We could rent a movie or just see what we can find on TV."

"Lee? Just one more thing… did you say next weekend?" Amanda asked nervously.

"Yeah, that's what Billy said. Next weekend. Why? Is that a problem?" Lee asked.

"Well, it might be. You see, next weekend is the weekend before Joe's wedding and he's having a bachelor party of sorts which means Carrie is having her bachelorette party and well, the boys have been invited to dinner with Joe and everyone and well, Carrie invited me to tag along with all the girls," Amanda gushed out.

"Soooo, why is that a problem?" Lee asked slightly confused.

"Well, if the sale is Saturday morning then that's just fine, but if it's Saturday afternoon, well, I have to get the boys ready for Joe to pick them up and I'll have to get ready for the show Carrie's maid of honor arranged for everyone to see. But if it's on Sunday morning, I might be a little tired but I should be fine. Sunday afternoon would be best, I think," Amanda rambled.

"Show… what show? Amanda, you didn't mention you were going to a show," Lee couldn't figure out if he was more confused about what she just explained or about something she didn't tell him. That was very unlike her.

"You probably haven't seen it. Carrie's maid of honor got the tickets and well, it's not… " Amanda rambled quickly.

"What is it? I've seen almost every show in DC," Lee said matter-of-factly.

Amanda put her head down, unable to make eye contact with Lee. "It's the hmmm mmmmmm show," she mumbled.

Lee narrowed his eyes, "What was that? I don't think I heard you."

Amanda mumbled again, a little louder but no clearer, "It's the hmm mmmmm show."

"Amanda, just tell me the name of it. How bad can it be?" Lee asked, now curious as to why she wouldn't say it outloud.

"I can't. Look, I don't even really want to go but Joe suggested I go and really, if Carrie is going to be married to Joe, she's going to be the boy's stepmother and I need to see what kind of person she is in a situation like this," Amanda explained.

Lee knelt beside Amanda's chair at the table and taking her hands in his, he said, "Amanda, please, just tell me what show it is."

"Okay, but promise me, you're not going to laugh when I tell you," Amanda pleaded.

"I promise, now just tell me," Lee looked at her.

"Okay, its the Chippendale Show. And I really, really don't want to go," Amanda said, blushing as she did.

It took Lee everything he had to not laugh. He bit down on his lip as he stood, turning his back to her so she wouldn't see his smile. Deciding he had to say something, he said, "So where is Joe going… for his bachelor party, I mean."

Amanda took a deep breath. Blowing it out, she said, "Well, he's taking the boys out to dinner with everyone else first then I think he said they were heading to the Palace Royale Strip Club…"

Lee stopped her, shocked. "Amanda! You're letting Joe take the boys to… to…. To a strip club? Don't you think they're a little young for that?"

Amanda stood, speaking firmly said, "No, I'm not letting him take them to a strip club. Seriously, do you think…"

"But you just said Joe was taking the boys…" Lee stepped closer, raising his voice.

"I said Joe was taking the boys to dinner…" she countered.

"And then you said he was going to that club. And of all places… The Palace Royale? That place has some of the worst…" Lee raised his voice again.

"LEE!" Amanda yelled his name. "Calm down and think about this rationally. Do you really think I would let Joe take the boys to a strip club?"

Lee stopped and threw his hands in the air. "No, I would hope not," he said, sounding almost defeated.

"And do you really think Joe would even ASK to take the boys to a strip club?" Amanda said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Lee looked at Amanda as he shook his head, "No, no, I guess he wouldn't."

Amanda took a few steps toward Lee. "Then why are you getting so upset over this?" she demanded.

Lee dropped his head, "I'm not… okay, I was… but, I'm… I'm sorry. I just… I don't know… you said the boys and strip club and I just lost my head."

Amanda realized Lee had just become protective of her boys, in a way she never expected. Softening her tone, she said, "Lee, I would never allow the boys at this age to go to a strip club but it's awful sweet of you to protect them." Closing the gap between them, Amanda put her arms around Lee's waist, hugging him tight.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of their evening was spent on the couch, watching TV and talking about work. Amanda was surprised to hear the water cooler gossip wasn't about them anymore but one of the new recruits in Crypto who had deciphered a coded message from a new radical group called Sons of Mohammed. They were planning on blowing up Claytor Dam, flooding Pulaski County, where a hidden bunker for the Chiefs of Staff was located. Thanks to her quick thinking, they were able to stop the group and arrested the leader, a local named Joe Henrich. Joe was well known in the intelligence community as being a loose cannon, always in trouble or moving from one group to another.

Sunday morning, Amanda woke early as usual. Lee was sleeping peacefully, finally making up for the late nights the previous week. Slipping out of bed, she donned her robe and moved to the kitchen to make coffee. She was sitting on the couch, flipping through the real estate magazine when Lee emerged from the bedroom, running his hands through his hair to shake the sleepiness from his head. "Morning, Sweetheart," she said cheerfully.

Lee just grunted in return, not fully awake, as he padded to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. Without a word, he headed back toward the bedroom and a few minutes later, Amanda heard the shower running. Amanda nodded, knowing his morning routine. Coffee, shower, then conversation. Even the boys had learned quickly Lee was not a morning person. She waited, finishing her coffee before he finally emerged from the bedroom, freshly shaven, dressed in jeans and a button down shirt. "Hungry?" she asked, almost certain she knew the answer.

Lee sat beside her on the couch, picking up the list of addresses Billy had given him. "Tell you what, why don't we check out these addresses and go for brunch," he suggested.

Amanda smiled, "Let me shower and then we can go."

Less than an hour later, they were driving around the neighborhood of the first address. Just like Amanda had thought, the houses were all small, much smaller than her current home. It was Lee who declared, "This is not going to work.. Where's the next one?"

The next house they drove past had promise. The neighborhood wasn't too far from Amanda's, the houses similar to what she had now. "This is nice. Not too far from the boys' schools. This might work," Amanda commented. The house appeared to be similar in size to Amanda's, set back off the street, a single car detached garage at the end of the driveway.

Parking across the street, Lee studied the house. "Well, the driveway might work for the basketball hoop. It doesn't look like it has much of a yard though. The other houses are set pretty close. How many bedrooms do you think it has?" he asked.

"Well, if it's laid out like my house, probably only three, although there may be one downstairs on the main floor. It looks like there may be an apartment over the garage. That might be nice for Mother. She can have her own space," Amanda pointed at the stairs beside the garage.

"I guess, but that still leaves us one bedroom short," Lee sighed. He was determined to find a house that would be perfect for everyone. "Let's try the last one." Pulling away from the curb, he let Amanda direct him through the streets until they came to Barclay Knolls Park. Amanda pulled out the street map from Lee's glove box, searching for the street name he had written down. After finding their way deep into a quiet neighborhood, they turned onto the street, lined with large French Provincial style homes.

"Lee, these houses are beautiful. I'm sure we can't afford this. These must go for big bucks, easy," Amanda said hesitantly.

"Let's just see which one Billy mentioned. I'm telling you, we wouldn't be paying full market price," Lee impressed.

Driving slowly, they checked the house numbers, finding the one they were looking for at the end of the cul de sac. Lee didn't miss Amanda's excited inhale when they saw the house for the first time. The house was large, almost double the size of where she was living right now. Amanda counted the windows and figured out there were three floors, possibly four if the basement was finished too. There was a two car garage, set back behind the house with a long driveway and a basketball hoop already set up on one side of it. The front of the house was brick-faced and from what they could see, the rest of the house was vinyl sided.

"Lee, I don't know what to say… this is… well, this would be my dream home. French Provincial style, the garage… There has to be at least three floors, probably a basement too. Oh, too bad we couldn't see the inside," Amanda said wistfully.

Lee was beaming. He knew this was the perfect house. Picking up the car phone, he called Billy again. "Billy, listen, we're at one of the addresses you gave me… is there anyway we can take a look at the inside?" Lee asked hopefully.

Billy grinned. He knew this house was perfect for them too - the perfect family house. He had driven by out of curiosity last night after he spoke with Lee. "Of course, Scarecrow. There's a key in the garage. Let me give you the security codes. The house has already been fully wired and secured with both a security system as well as video monitoring from inside with a different code for the garage and the house," he informed him.

Lee wrote down the codes before thanking Billy and hanging up the phone. Turning to Amanda he said, "Let's go. There's a key in the garage and Billy gave us the alarm codes."

Amanda just looked at him, wide eyed. Taking his hand, she let him lead her into the garage where he found the keys exactly where Billy said they'd be. Once inside the house, Lee couldn't help but let out a low whistle as he looked up the staircase in the front entrance. "Amanda… this… I can just see the boys now, running up and down those stairs. And your Mother… she would love this," he exclaimed softly.

Amanda, trying to be the realist, said, "We have to remember, there's no guarantee we can get it. We don't know what the Agency is selling it for or how many other people might bid on it. Besides how much of a down payment are they going to ask for? I can tell you, my saving account is better than it was a few years ago but it's still not much."

"Don't you worry about that. Leave the down payment up to me," Lee assured her. "Let's check out the rest of the rooms. Who knows, maybe it won't be what we're looking for."

Amanda gave him a sideways glance as they held hands and began their exploration of the house. Lee lost count of how many times Amanda said wow, oh my gosh or gasped over the hardwood floors, newly renovated kitchen featuring a double wide refrigerator, six burner gas stove, a separate pantry, first and second floor laundry rooms - washers and dryers included, a half bath in the finished basement, full bath on the main floor, two full baths on the second floor where four of the bedrooms were and a separate office on the main floor for monitoring all the security surveillance equipment that was already installed. He was pretty sure the master bedroom, which encompassed all the third floor was the turning point for both **,** of them. With the oversized bedroom including their own fireplace, not one but two walk-in closets, and full on suite master bath complete with a sunken tub and large walk-in shower, and his and hers sinks, Amanda couldn't find one thing wrong with the house, other than the fact it was huge and she'd have to clean it all.

Standing by the windows facing the large backyard, Amanda could already picture her boys playing outside while her mother worked the gardens that lined the edges of the property. She sighed wistfully as Lee walked up and, drawing his arms around her, pulled her close. "Well, what do you think?" Lee asked, knowing the question was not really needed. He could see from the look on her face, she was sold.

"Well, I'm sure it's way out of our budget. And there's no way I'm gonna get enough from the sale of my house after I split it with Joe to pay the down payment. Maybe we should go and look at that other house. You know, the second one we drove by. The neighborhood's nice… We might be able to make that work," Amanda said, almost sadly.

Lee turned her to face him. "Amanda, is this the house you want? Could you see yourself and the boys living here? Your mother?" he asked.

Amanda dropped her eyes, not wanting him to see her disappointment, "Yes, but we can't afford this. We'll find something…"

Picking her chin up with two fingers, Lee looked at her. "We can afford this. I've been putting money away since last February. If you've noticed, we've spent more time at home, no weekend trips, I've worked some overtime here and there. Billy helped me set up an account at the Agency Credit Union… I'm telling you… if you love this house as much as I think you do… we can afford it," he said reassuringly.

"Lee, but how? My budget is tight as it is. Adding a house this size… I just don't see how it's going to be possible," Amanda said, almost sadly.

"Amanda, trust me, will you. I'll talk to Billy and see what we can do. We'll make it work. I promise you," Lee insisted again.

"If you think so… let's do it…" Amanda said as a smile slowly found its way across her face.


	6. Chapter 6

Leaving the house behind, Lee and Amanda went to a local restaurant for brunch. Surprisingly, even Lee had worked up and appetite. Over brunch they talked about the boys and their upcoming weekly schedule. Amanda's heart swelled over how involved Lee wanted to be with them. Their schedule at work was still relatively light so he offered to pick Philip up after basketball practice Monday night before dinner.

"Did your mother mention what she was planning on doing with the boys this weekend?" Lee asked.

"No, now that you mention it. She just said she didn't want to see us until tonight. You don't think she's planning something, do you?" Amanda asked suspiciously.

"Your mother? Who knows, but the boys weren't acting suspicious. They're not very good at keeping secrets, I've noticed," Lee commented.

Amanda laughed, "You know, you're right. The last time they tried to keep a secret, I think they told Buck next door and I knew within the hour!"

Laughing, Lee said, "Did you tell your boys about Virginia Beach? The Neptune Festival? That's coming up in what, four more weeks, which means our wedding is in five weeks. We have a few busy weekends coming up. Next weekend you and the boys have the bachelor … bachelorette parties…"

"I really, really don't want to go. I mean, honestly Sweetheart, there's only one man I want to watch take off his clothes and it's not in front of a roomful of women," Amanda whispered.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm glad Joe didn't invite me to that bachelor party. Who picked the Palace Royale anyway? I could name a half dozen better…." Lee stopped talking when Amanda raised an eyebrow, tilted her head and said, "Oh?"

"Amanda, I haven't been to any of those places… since before you and I… started… since before… well, it's been a really really long time." Lee stuttered.

Amanda rubbed his arm,lovingly. "It's ok. I know you had a life before us, like all those girls whose names ended in I. I had a life too. I wasn't going to strip clubs and bars as often as you but I had my fair share of fun. I used to head down to the beach with a few friends and we used to watch all the college boys then we'd go out dancing," she said.

"The beach? Dancing? When was that, before you and Joe got married? I mean, Amanda, you had Philip what nine months after you got married and I don't really see Joe as the kind of guy that would take care of a baby for his wife to go out dancing with friends," Lee said, shaking his head.

"No, no he wasn't and well, you're right… that was back when I was still in college but you know, we both had our time before we got together but now I'm glad we're together. And anytime you want to go hang out with, oh, I don't know… Leatherneck or even Beaman after work, I'd be okay with that," Amanda rambled.

"Amanda? Beaman, really? You really think I want to hang out with that guy after work? I mean, Leatherneck, sure, I'd have a beer with him or Billy or heck, even Francine but Beaman? I'd rather clean out your garage by myself than hang out with him," Lee said firmly.

"Well, you might have too if we move," Amanda laughed.

"You mean, when we move. And I'm recruiting the boys. Oh, hey, I meant to ask you. You said back at the house, when you sell your house you have to split it with Joe. Is that part of your divorce agreement?" Lee asked, curious.

"Well, yeah. He agreed to hold off on his share of the house until the day we sold it so I didn't have to move the boys from the only house they've ever known. You know, that was probably the most decent thing he did during our divorce proceedings. I mean, when we first got divorced, he barely fought with me over visitation rights, vacations, holidays, pretty much everything you'd expect, except the house. I didn't have the energy at that point to fight anymore," Amanda dropped her head sadly.

Lee took her hands in his, playing with her engagement ring as he did. "Amanda I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Let's just… let's drive down to the Potomac and go for a walk. We could take the Mount Vernon Trail. Unless there's something else you'd rather do," he offered.

"A walk on the Potomac sounds perfect," Amanda replied.

Later that afternoon, Amand and Lee pulled into her driveway. They had spent the entire afternoon just walking along the river, holding hands, stopping every once in awhile for a hug or a light kiss. Amanda's car was noticeably absent from the driveway, the garage door open and boxes were piled up on one side. Amanda got out slowly, looking around for any sign of her mother or the boys. Walking around toward the back of the house, she heard Philip talking.

"Ok, so Grandma said if we finished the loft we could be done for today. She should be back any minute. Mom's gonna be so surprised," he was saying to Jamie as Amanda and Lee turned

the corner to see the boys sitting at the picnic table sipping lemonade. They were both covered in dirt, sweat and cobwebs.

"Surprised about what, Sweetheart?" Amanda asked, scaring both boys, causing them to jump.

"Mom! Lee! You're back early. Grandma said you wouldn't be back until later. She said you needed your 'alone time'," Jamie said, punctuating the words with air quotes.

"Yeah, well, we missed you guys. What have you been doing, rolling around in the basement?" Lee teased, picking a particularly long cobweb off Philip's shoulder.

"You could say that. Grandma had us start moving things up from the basement to the garage so we can start cleaning stuff out and boxing stuff up. She called it Fall Cleaning but I think it was just an excuse to keep us busy so we didn't fight all day," Philip replied.

Amanda knit her brows together, asking "But why would she decide to do that?"

"Because it needed to be done. And you both mentioned wanting to move to a bigger house so I thought why not start going through things now," Dotty's voice came from behind them. Turning they could see her carrying more boxes so Lee stepped forward, taking them from her and placing the boxes on the table.

"Thank you, Mother, but you didn't need to do that. You should have relaxed today instead of working through all this… this…." Amanda started.

"Junk. That's what it is, Amanda. It's junk. Most of the basement is stuff from when we cleaned out your Grandmother's house and no one else wanted it. Do you know how many boxes of books are in the basement? Or pots and pans? Now I know why we stopped going down there," Dotty laughed.

"I know, Mother, but we could never decide what to do with it, remember? So what are we going to do with it?" Amanda reminded her lightly.

Shaking her head, Dotty said, "Donate it. Be done with it. I'm sure the library will appreciate the books and maybe the women's shelter could use the pots and pans. Lee, we're going to need your muscles for moving those up from the basement. The boys did their best but there are a few boxes they can't lift."

"Just point me in the right direction," Lee said, smiling.


	7. Chapter 7

Monday morning, Lee practically breezed into Billy's office, floating on Cloud 9. "Morning, Billy," he said cheerfully causing Billy to raise his head and twist his jaw.

"What has you in such a good mood this morning, Scarecrow?" Billy asked suspiciously.

"You know those addresses Amanda and I looked at yesterday? Well, we found THE house. It's perfect for us, enough room for the boys, a garden for Amanda's mother and maybe even some space to grow a little," Lee practically sang.

"The perfect house? And how does Amanda feel about this house? Does she think it is as perfect as you do?" Billy teased.

Lee's face lit up as he said, "Billy, you should have seen her face. She tried to hide it but if you could have heard her… she loves this house, almost as much as she loves me, I think."

Billy laughed heartily, "Well then, it must be a pretty special house."

"I'd hate to see it go to someone else, Billy…. Is there anything you can do? Can we arrange for an early purchase? Something… Billy… we have to get this house," Lee practically begged his friend.

Billy leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms, leaned his chin into one hand and pretended to think about Lee's request. He had already made a call to the acquisitions department to find out the process for an early bid just in case Lee had found a house they liked. He knew how long it had taken for Lee to admit his feelings for Amanda and he wanted to make sure there was nothing standing in their way to finding happiness. "Well, I suppose I could make a phone call, see if anyone else has expressed an interest in the property. If not, maybe find out if you can put a bid in on it before the weekend," he said deliberately. Taking a deep breath, he finished with, "I'm not sure what else I can do, Scarecrow."

"Billy, whatever you can do. I'd really appreciate it. I know I've been kind of tough to deal with over the years but since Amanda and I… well, whatever you need me to do around here… just tell me. I'm on it," Lee rushed.

"How much have you managed to squirrel away since your incident with PD-2? When was that again, back in February?" Billy asked, fully aware of how long Lee had been saving money for something like this.

"Just over twenty thousand but Amanda doesn't know exactly how much. I told her I was saving but that's all I told her. I'd like to be able to do this all through the Agency's credit union, you know, so she doesn't have to worry. She's already concerned we can't afford the house anyway and well, I just… I want to give her this house. She's given me so much, I can't repay her for everything… " Lee babbled, running his hands nervously through his hair.

"Calm down, Scarecrow. I'll help you, don't worry about that. I know what Amanda's done for you. I've seen the change she's made in you… all for the good. Let me make a few calls and see what I can do. Twenty thousand, huh? That's a pretty good chunk of change. How'd you manage that?" Billy nodded his head.

"Well, for starters, we've been having dinner at home almost every night. What else? No impromptu trips out of the country, no big purchases. The overtime I've been working, helping out Francine and Leatherneck," Lee rattled off some of the ways he had been saving, as he paced a path in front of Billy's desk.

"Well, well, well, Scarecrow, I never thought I would see this day," Billy laughed.

"And what day was that?" Lee asked as he stopped pacing, and leaned forward on Billy's desk.

"The day you figured it out. How important not only family is but making someone else, other than yourself happy. Congratulations, Son," Billy chuckled warmly. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to get back to working, which if you want to be able to continue to afford that house, you should think about doing yourself. I heard Leatherneck is looking for some help downstairs at the range. He has a few new recruits down there that could give Amanda a run for lowest score."

"Thanks, Billy, thanks a lot. Amanda's up in the Q bureau now working on the security checks on the staff for Senator Michaels' foreign dignitaries dinner next week. I'll go down and see what Leatherneck needs," Lee said as he left Billy's office and headed toward the shooting range.

"Scarecrow, what sends you down here?" Leatherneck smiled at him.

"Billy said you might need some help with a few new recruits," Lee gestured toward the group shooting at the paper targets 50 feet away.

"Yeah, I could use some help. I think Mrs. King could give them some pointers. I never thought I'd see someone who could hit the target less than she could," Leatherneck teased.

Lee nodded, "Yeah, she was pretty bad but she's gotten better. I'd like to take credit for that but I know, for her, it was just getting comfortable with it. Time and practice."

"Uh-huh, and your personal attention on the range had nothing to do with it?" Leatherneck joked again.

Lee grinned, "Well, maybe a little. But hey, really, what can I do to help?"

"How about a demonstration for our new recruits. Proper stance, aiming tricks, you know… show off… what you do best down here," Leatherneck suggested, a twinkle in his eye.

Lee nodded so Leatherneck stepped back, and pressing a button, set a flashing red warning light to get everyone's attention. Once safety goggles and protective head sets had been removed, Leatherneck introduced Lee, "I'd like you all to meet Lee Stetson, aka Scarecrow. He's a senior agent and one of our best shots around here. Now he's going to break down the proper shooting stance and a few tricks on aiming for those of you that might need it. If you have any questions, please ask and Scarecrow will be happy to help."

In the Q Bureau, Amanda was sitting at Lee's desk, flipping back and forth between the files stacked in front of her and the computer. She had two files open and was muttering when Francine knocked on the door.

"Knock knock," Francine said as she opened the door and looked around. "Amanda, are you alone?

Not looking up, Amanda replied, "Yes, Francine. Lee's not here. He went down to Billy's office over an hour ago and I haven't seen him since."

"Good. I needed to talk to you without him around," Francine said as she closed the door and walked across the office to sit on the edge of Lee's desk. "What do you think of having a bachelorette party? I heard Billy talking to Leatherneck about taking Lee out but what about you?"

Amanda looked up at her, slightly annoyed. She had a lot of work to do on the security checks and she really didn't have time to spend talking about a party she didn't really need to have. "Francine, that's not really my thing. I mean, when I was marrying Joe, I was much younger and yeah, a girls night out with my friends was wonderful but really, I'm not interested," she said.

"Amanda? Not interested? Come on, we can go to one of those show…." Francine started to say as she was picturing attractive, well muscled men, skin glistening with oil dancing seductively.

"I'm already going to one of those shows this weekend and I have no desire to repeat the experience, Francine. Now if you want to do a girls day out… manicures, pedicures, massages even, but to watch the Chippendale show a second time… no thank you," Amanda said bluntly.

Francine's eyes widened as she said, "Amanda King, you are heading to a Chippendale show this weekend?" This little tidbit of information surprised her.

Looking up, Amanda took a deep breath, "Yes, Francine, for Carrie's bachelorette party. And no, I don't really want to go. Mother was the one that convinced me to go."

"Way to go, Dotty. Really, Amanda, you don't want to go? How can you …" Francine began.

"Francine, I already told Lee. The only one man I want to see… like that….is my hus… almost husband, and it's not in a room full of other women. Now, please, I have a lot of work to do here so if you don't mind," Amanda nervously gestured toward the door in a very uncharacteristic manner. She was hoping Francine didn't catch her slip.

Francine narrowed her eyes at Amanda. "Well, that's fine then. I'm sure we can come up with some other way to celebrate. I mean, after all, you only marry someone like Lee Stetson once in your life and well, we will find a way to make it all meaningful. Maybe a good bake sale would be your speed… or a…" Francine rattled as she moved toward the door.

"Goodbye, Francine," Amanda snapped. Without another word, Francine left the office, accidentally slamming the door behind her causing Amanda to jump. Muttering under her breath again, Amanda said, "I really need to lock that door from now on." She heard the door open again and without looking up said loudly, "Just leave me alone. I don't want to watch men strip with you."

"Well, I guess that answers my question if Francine is taking you out," Lee shook his head as he walked in the door.

Amanda raised her head, blushing as she said, "Sorry, Lee. I thought you were Francine trying to convince me to go to another Chippendale show." She stood to give him a light kiss as he reached behind her to pour a cup of coffee.

"Where've you been?" Amanda asked as she sat back down in Lee's chair.

Lee sat on the edge of his desk. "First I went to talk to Billy then I headed downstairs to help Leatherneck with some new recruits on the shooting range. I think we found someone who's a worse shot than you," he teased as he laughed. Seeing Amanda didn't think his joke was funny, he covered up his smile with a sip of his coffee as he continued, "What have you found? Anything?"


	8. Chapter 8

Amanda picked up several files, flipping open the first one, she scanned the first, then second page. Dropping it back on the pile, she repeated her process on the next two files before settling on the last one. "This one, something about it isn't sitting right with me. I'm not sure what it is. It's too… clean…. too perfect… too… I don't know," she said, handing it to Lee.

Lee looked at the papers in front of him, scanning the notes written. "Yeah, you know, you're right. This does look too clean. Manuel Noves, huh?" Lee looked at the photograph attached to the inside cover of the folder. "Well Mr. Noves, I wonder what your deal is?"

"I checked his background a few times, nothing, not even a parking ticket," Amanda stated. Pointing to a section on the paper, "and here, he spent three years in Central America, claimed he was with family but there's no work records that I can find anywhere. Even family doesn't love you that much after three years."

"Well, maybe he was working under the table for a family member," Lee suggested.

"Or maybe he was involved in something dirty," Amanda said right back. "Wasn't there something going on back in '78 in Guatemala?"

"Yeah, Panzós massacre. The military clashed with natives in a small town over land near the river. When the natives showed up in the town square with farming instruments and machetes, the soldiers opened fire with machine guns. You know there was never an official death count? Just an estimate," Lee recalled.

"Well, our friend here was in Guatemala until '79. What do you think he was doing there?" Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lee sipped his coffee again, thinking. "Well, there was speculation that the soldiers were actually protecting a cocaine field next to the river and the natives got too close. I wonder if our friend here was part of distribution," Lee shook the file in his hand.

"I don't know but I'm thinking he's worth looking into," Amanda said.

"Very good work, Amanda. You know, I don't know how many people would have spotted that," Lee said.

"Thanks. There was just one other one. This woman here," Amanda handed Lee another file.

"Evelyn Harris," Lee read. "What about Miss Harris doesn't sit right with you?"

"Well, for starters, I think I've seen her picture before," Amanda said as she stood and moved to the filing cabinet to her right. Opening the second drawer, she flipped through several files before pulling out one of them. Lee leaned forward to read the label as Amanda skimmed the files.

"The Henderson File? You think you've seen her picture in the Henderson File?" Lee sounded confused.

"Here," Amanda pulled out a small photograph to compare. "Her hair color is darker now but I'm sure this is the same woman," she stated firmly. Handing both pictures to Lee, she didn't miss his sharp inhale when he looked at the first one.

Lee stared at the pictures, comparing them, trying to find some difference other than the hair color but he knew there wouldn't be. Shaking his head, he handed the photos back to Amanda and said, "Veronica Tucker. Now what is she doing showing up as Evelyn Harris?"

Amanda knew his tone was bordering on dismissive. He knew more than he was offering so she needed to push to find out what exactly he knew. Without saying a word, she started reading the Henderson file. She stopped when Lee put his hand on hers.

"Amanda, you're not going to find any answers there. I'll tell you. You might not like what you're going to hear though," Lee said softly.

Amanda closed the folder and sat back, surprised to see Lee looking upset. Leaning forward, she covered his hand and said, "Sweetheart, what is it?"

"I was working on the Henderson case. One of my first cases at the agency. Weapons smuggling or so we thought. Veronica Tucker was my contact. She worked at Heddon Industries in the research department. She and I became… involved… romantically…I know it was stupid but I was still new… Anyway, it only lasted about 4 months before I found out she was working for the Soviets. Amanda, she was the first woman I ever shot. I thought… I knew she was injured, but I thought she didn't make it," Lee said quietly.

Amanda rubbed his hand, gently. "If it wasn't weapons they were smuggling, what was it?" she asked trying to distract him.

Lee ran his hand through his hair, "People, information. She was funnelling anyone and anything she could to the Soviets for the nuclear arms race. She used me and at the time, I was too naive to know the difference. I thought… well, let's just say I learned the hard way you can't trust too many people in this business."

Amanda stood and walked around the desk to put her arms around Lee. She could see he was upset. "Well, we need to figure out what Veronica Tucker, AKA Evelyn Harris, is doing in DC and why she's suddenly shown up on the staff list for Senator Michaels' foreign dignitaries dinner," she said matter of factly. She knew by getting him back into work mode, she could compartmentalize his emotions enough to figure out what might be going on. Stepping back, she picked up the two file folders. "Looks like we are heading out. You want to drive or do you want me to?"

Lee looked at Amanda and a small smile crossed his face, "I'll drive, you did all the hard work so far. Let me just call down and let Billy know we're heading out." Lee picked up the phone and quickly explained what was going on.

"Scarecrow, if Amanda's right and it is Veronica Tucker, get Francine on this. I want you as far away from this as possible, you got that?" Billy barked into the phone.

"I will, Billy. We're going to head over to the address in Georgetown first," Lee answered.

"Good, keep me informed. Oh, and by the way, Scarecrow, I just got off the phone with Acquisitions. You need to have an offer in writing in their office by five o'clock tomorrow for that house. There are two other offers on it already," Billy said.

Lee pursed his lips together and shook his head.  _Damn,_ he thought. "Thanks Billy, I'll get right on that," he answered.

Hanging up the phone, Lee took his keys out of his pocket and motioned toward the door. "Ready?" he asked.

Amanda took her purse and the file folders. She stopped before opening the door, turned around and gave Lee a kiss on his cheek.

"What was that for?" Lee asked.

"Just so you remember I love you, no matter what," she said.

Together they left the office, and drove to Manuel Noves' address. Knocking on the door, they waited but there was no answer. The apartment was on the first floor so Lee looked in the windows which were devoid of curtains or shades. The room was scarcely furnished with no signs of life. Looking around, Lee quickly picked the lock. Inside, they systematically searched the small apartment. Other than a few photographs of what appeared to be family members, they found nothing of value. Deciding they weren't going to get any additional information, Lee called for a stakeout crew to wait for Manuel to return.

Back in the car, Lee asked Amanda for the next address. As they drove, Amanda reached over and rubbed his shoulder lovingly. She could see the tension in his face, the muscle in his jaw twitching. As they pulled up in front of the house, she covered his hand with hers. "Why don't I go up first. She doesn't know me," Amanda suggested.

"Amanda, she's dangerous. If it is Veronica, and she feels threatened, she won't hesitate to fight. I learned that the hard way," Lee said, worried.

"I'm just going to tell her I'm from Senator Michaels' office and I need to go over her paperwork. She has no reason to feel threatened. Just stay here, please?" Amanda asked.

Lee shook his head and laughed lightly. "I'm usually the one asking you to stay in the car. But you're right. I'm right here. Any sign of trouble, you just yell and get as far away from her as possible," he said.

Without answering, Amanda got out of the car and headed toward the door. Lee sat in the car, feeling helpless, as he watched her knock and the door opened slowly.


	9. Chapter 9

"Miss Harris?" Amanda asked sweetly, a smile plastered on her face.

The tall, blonde woman stared back at her with narrowed green eyes, "Yes. Can I help you?" she answered, her tone clipped with the slightest hint of an English accent.

"My name is Amanda Keane, I'm with Senator Michaels' office. I'm just going over everyone's paperwork for the dinner next week. Can I ask you a few questions?" Amanda continued, still smiling.

The woman rolled her eyes and shook her head looking seemingly annoyed. "Is this going to take long? I don't have much time," she stated.

Amanda just smiled again, "No, not at all, just a few minutes. I just need to go over a few things to be sure there are no loose ends. If you know Senator Michaels' advisor, Mr. Jenkins, you know how much he dislikes loose ends…."

Evelyn lifted her hand to stop Amanda's ramble. "I really don't have a lot of time so what do you need to ask me?" she snapped.

Amanda looked down at the paper in her hand where she had jotted down a few questions in the car. "Sorry, would you say there are any limitations you may have working with the…" Amanda flipped back to the folder that held the preliminary report including her job description, "bartender?"

Evelyn shook her head again as she exhaled loudly. "I already went over this with Mr. Jenkins. I have limited use of my left arm but I can still mix drinks with the best of them," she said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, I'm just going over what they asked me to go over. May I ask what happened to your arm?" Amanda tried to sound apologetic and sincere.

"I had an injury 12 years ago. There is some nerve damage so I am limited on movement. Is there anything else you need to know?" Evelyn leaned heavily on the door as if she was trying to shut it on Amanda.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Can I ask what kind of an accident it was?" Amanda asked.

"No. Listen, do you have any other questions for me? I'm going to be late for an appointment," Evelyn said firmly.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, I just have a few more. Can you tell me if you have ever worked with the Soviet Embassy? It said on your application you worked with a Russian interpreter from 1970 to 1974. Do you speak Russian?" Amanda rushed out.

Shaking her head again, Evelyn snapped, "No, not with the Embassy. I had a … friend… that was an interpreter and I used to work with him. He taught me a few things so I could communicate easier at events. Now I don't have any more time to answer your questions so if you don't mind…"

Amanda attempted to look disappointed but she also remembered Lee's warning. "I just have one more question, I'm sorry. I promise I won't take any more of your time. It says here you lived in DC from 1968 to 1974 then there is a gap until 1982. Could you tell me where you were living during that time?" she tried.

"I don't need to explain anything to you. If Senator Michaels' doesn't need an extra bartender then that's fine with me, just tell me," Evelyn snapped angrily. She reached over to pick up her purse on the table beside the door as well as her keys.

"I'm sorry, Miss Harris. I won't take any more of your time today. Would it be okay if I contacted you later in the week? I just noticed a few other things but they can wait. I'm sure everything is fine but I have a job to do and with my family I can't afford to lose this job, you know. I know it may seem annoying to you, me asking all these silly questions but that's my job and in order to do my job I have to ask…" Amanda babbled hoping the woman would agree to talk to her again.

"Yeah, fine. I get it. We all have a job to do. I'll be available Thursday morning but I'll be heading out of town that afternoon for a few days," Evelyn answered sighing, clearly annoyed.

"Thank you, Miss Harris, thank you so much. I'll be sure to tell Mr. Jenkins how helpful you were, a good word so to speak. Have a nice day, Miss Harris," Amanda said quickly as she stepped out of Evelyn's way as she walked outside, closing the door with a bang.

Sitting in the car, Lee had opened the window so he could hear them speaking, Evelyn's voice and accent immediately recognizable. Closing his eyes, he had a flashback of the first time he met Veronica Tucker. She had been dressed sharply in a navy blue skirt suit with a white ruffled blouse. She had smelled of hisbiscuis flowers and soft powder. His first conversation he had she held the same tone with him, sharp, short tempered, cold even. Listening to Amanda talk to her, more memories flooded him - the two of them having dinner, walking together in the park, making love in her apartment then finally, that night in the warehouse. He could remember her yelling in Russian, the sounds of the gunfire around him, the coppery smell of blood… her blood… after he pulled the trigger and watched her fall.

Lee was unaware he was sweating, his hands shaking slightly. As Amanda slipped into the seat beside him, she became concerned as soon as she saw him. "Sweetheart, are you.." she started to ask as she touched his face.

"It's her, Amanda, it's her. What the hell is she doing back?" Lee said in a loud whisper.

"Are you sure? Are you sure it's her? Lee, look at me," Amanda gently commanded seeing the almost panicked look on his face.

Lee turned, his hazel eyes looking almost pained, "I'm sure. Her voice, that accent. She grew up in England as a child, moved here when she was twelve. And the injury. I shot her in the shoulder. I shot her," Lee said slowly.

Amanda reached over to cup his chin in her hand, "Hey, that was a long time ago. And she doesn't mean anything anymore. She was a case, that's it," she tried to reassure him. "Hey, let's head back to the Agency. If it is her, like you say, we have some work to do."

Taking her hand with his, Lee kissed her palm. "Thank you. I know I need to get control of this but this is just one of those cases… I didn't think it would come back to haunt me," he admitted.

"Then let's dispel these ghosts forever, Sweetheart. Besides, I need you in one piece to make dinner tomorrow night with the boys," Amanda teased trying to lighten the mood.

Lee started the car and pulled away from the curb, a small smile on his face. Neither of them had noticed Evelyn watching them as she stood beside her car. Instead of climbing in, she walked swiftly back into the house where she immediately picked up the phone and dialed.

"We have a problem. The Agency is already on me," she said without hesitation. "I don't know, but I'll take care of it. I know the agent in charge. His name is Stetson, Lee Stetson. I'll take care of him and the woman he was with. No, it will be fine. We'll get into Michaels' little party and take care of him. I'm sure. Just make sure you hold up your end of the bargain. I take care of Micheals and you'll handle Artem Shchavesky. Then our friends in the Kremlin will be happy to have their scientist back, Michaels will be discredited at the same time. A win win for everyone. Good. I'll be meeting with Poda Thursday night in Boston. Good. Now keep it that way."


	10. Chapter 10

"I'm telling you, Billy, it was her. It was Veronica Tucker," Lee said adamantly as he paced Billy's office. Amanda sat on the couch, just watching. Lee had been quiet the entire ride back to the Agency, so she knew he was upset.

"Then I want you off this case. Get Francine on it. Amanda, can you give her all your research? And anything she said to you. If you're sure…" Billy said.

"I'm sure it was her," Lee interrupted.

"If you're sure, I don't want you or Amanda anywhere near her. She's dangerous, Scarecrow, you know that first hand. Drop it!" Billy commanded.

"Sir, do you think… Maybe I should work with…" Amanda started to suggest she and Francine work together but Billy stopped her immediately.

"No, Amanda, with all due respect, you don't know this woman. She was peddling people to the Russians like candy to children. She won't hesitate to take you or Lee down in a heartbeat. She's spent ten years locked up in a maximum security federal prison in New York before she was released two years ago. That's a long time to think about revenge," Billy explained. "We've seen it time and time again," he added.

"But, Sir…" Amanda tried again.

"No and that's an order. Now get Francine on this, NOW," Billy commanded, causing Amanda to jump.

"Yes, Sir, I'll go find Francine now," Amanda answered as she got to her feet and headed toward the door.

"Scarecrow, you and I have another matter to discuss. Privately," Billy said firmly.

Amanda raised an eyebrow at Lee who just shook his head, "I'll meet you in the Q Bureau in a bit. We still have Noves to figure out."

After Amanda left, Lee turned to Billy and said, "I know it's her, Billy."

"Well, that's going to be Francine's problem now, not yours. I'll have that new kid… what's his name… Edwards work with her. You have another problem. That house. Now, I had to grease a palm down in Acquisitions to find out what the other bids were but it looks like the other two agents are low-balling this," Billy told him.

Lee wasn't sure what to do. He had never bought a house before, he had rented apartments his entire adult life. Looking at Billy, he took a deep breath and asked, "Billy, I could really use your help here. What should I do?"

Billy folded his arms to think back when he and Jeanie bought their first home. He could remember the struggles they had, finding the right house, the bidding war they got into and the relief and elation when they finally signed off on their first mortgage. "Well, the property is worth almost $150,000 and the original offer was set at $75,000. For you, I'd offer ninety-five, and with the cash down payment, I'd say it should be a done deal."

Lee shook his head slowly. "That's a lot, are you sure?" he asked.

Billy guffawed, "For that house? That's a steal."

"I'm going to trust you, so should I get the paperwork from Acquisitions or…" Lee started to ask but stopped as Billy opened a desk drawer and pulled out a packet of papers, handing it to him. "Um, thanks," he answered laughing.

"Sign where the stickers are and I'll have Anderson run it downstairs for you," Billy pointed to the second page, indicating the stickers.

Lee spent the next few minutes skimming the document, initialing and signing where needed. With a deep breath, he handed it back to Billy and said, "I think that's everything. I should probably get upstairs to Amanda before she starts worrying and comes back down looking for me."

"I'll have Anderson run this down and see how fast I can get an answer for you. I know the official sell-off is on Saturday but your offer might push the envelope," Billy answered as he picked up the phone. "Send Anderson into my office, please."

"Thanks, Billy. I know I don't say it enough but you've been a good friend and well…" Lee started.

"I know, Scarecrow. Now, get back upstairs and make sure Francine knows everything Amanda's found on Veronica Tucker," Billy commanded.

"Will do," Lee replied as he left the office. He found Francine and Amanda already going over the file Amanda had compiled in the Q Bureau.

"Veronica Tucker or Evelyn Harris sounds like she's going to be a lot of fun. What exactly did you see in her?" Francine asked sarcastically.

"Can it, Francine. It was a long time ago and I was too young and stupid…" Lee snapped but was cut off as the phone rang. Reaching over, he picked up the receiver, "Stetson."

"Skip," the voice on the other end said.

Unconsciously, Lee stood taller, straightened his shoulders and replied, "Yes,Sir, Colonel, Sir."

Amanda's head immediately turned as she raised an eyebrow. It was unusual for Lee's uncle to call so Lee had her full attention.

"Skip, you and I need to meet. Tomorrow at zero nine hundred hours, breakfast at the Officers Club," Colonel Clayton stated.

"Sir, I need to check my work schedule. I believe we have a meet…" Lee stammered.

"I don't care, Skip, this can't wait, zero nine hundred hours at the Officers Club, tomorrow," Colonel Clayton repeated then he hung up the phone.

Lee shook his head, staring at the dead receiver before hanging it up.

Two sets of eyes looked at him but it was Francine who spoke first, "And what does the good Colonel want from his favorite nephew, Skip, now?"

Lee narrowed his eyes at her comment but simply said, "I don't know. I have to meet him tomorrow for breakfast at the Officers Club."

"You think something might be wrong?" Amanda asked.

"I'm not sure. He's being his usual cryptic self. Anyway, have you two come up with anything new on Veronica?" Lee asked.

"Amanda found most everything which isn't much I'm afraid. After her release from federal prison, she spent 6 months in New York State where she faithfully checked in with her parole officer every week until she finally dropped out of sight about eighteen months ago. She surfaced in DC three months ago as Evelyn Harris, renting that house," Francine read off the notes she had made.

"So I wonder why she's here. And why Senator Michaels' foreign dignitaries dinner? Who is she after this time?" Lee thought out loud.

"Well, I have the guest list here. It has most of the usual suspects, a few Russian diplomats, French, English, German dignitaries, US Military, a few scientists, writers, economic strategists…" Amanda scanned down the list to see if anything stood out.

Lee shook his head, "Here, let me take a look. Maybe something will jump out at me." Scanning the list again, he sighed, "It could be anyone on this list or it could be no one."

"Well, sitting around here chit chatting isn't going to solve this mystery. I'm going to head down and see if Research can come up with anyone on this list that might throw some red flags," Francine stood, taking the file folder with her.

"Let us know what you find," Lee said.

"No, you're off this, Scarecrow, remember. Billy wants you as far away from her as possible. Both you and Amanda," Francine answered.

"Francine, this is Veronica…" Lee wanted to try to convince her to keep him involved.

"No, Scarecrow, it's because it's Veronica that you are out. She almost killed you the first time, I'm not giving her a second crack at you. Besides that, I think Amanda might have something to say about that too," Francine put her hand on Lee's arm. "You have a lot to think about now." Leaving him with that thought, she left the office, closing the door softly behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

Francine left the Q Bureau carrying the files Amanda had handed her and headed back downstairs to Billy's office. "Billy, I have those files from Amanda. She's done a thorough job with all the background information on both Evelyn Harris and Veronica Tucker. I can't believe she's put it together this fast," Francine gave Amanda a rare compliment.

"Well, if nothing else, Amanda is thorough. What'd you have?" Billy agreed.

"Well, Amanda's confirmed everything we know about Veronica Tucker. Evelyn Harris showed up in DC three months ago, renting the house where Amanda and Lee found her. She's been working as a bartender at The Round Robin at the Willard," Francine replied.

"The Willard? I thought that hotel was still under renovation," Billy interrupted.

"No, it re-opened a few weeks ago. The Round Robin opened about a month before. Think about it Billy, it's a perfect cover for contacts. They can stop in, have a drink at the bar, chat with the bartender, and no one suspects a thing," Francine theorized.

"But the question is, who has she been meeting with?" Billy asked. "Head over to the Willard, find out anything you can, and take Edwards with you. You're gonna need another set of eyes on this."

"Edwards? You don't mean that new kid… the one they just sent up from Station One?" Francine rolled her eyes but immediately stopped when she saw the look on Billy's face. "Billy, come on, you can't be serious." Billy just looked at her and smiled. "Billy? You know as well as I do that I can get more done on my own, please, don't stick me with a newbie."

"He was top in his class, almost beat Scarecrow's scores," Billy tried to explain.

"But he's a newbie, Billy, a newbie. It's going to be like working with…." Francine said exasperated.

"Like working with who, Francine?" Billy teased knowing exactly who she was going to refer to.

Francine took a deep breath and pulled herself up tall. "No, I'm a professional. If I can help Amanda, I can help anyone. Where is Mr. Edwards anyway?"

Billy scanned the bullpen before pointing out a tall, blonde haired gentleman leaning against the desk closest to the entrance, flirting with the agent sitting there. "Francine, call Mr. Tom Edwards into my office, please," Billy laughed.

Francine crossed the short distance to the door and hollered out, "Edwards, in here, now."

Tom Edwards stood, flashed the female agent a smile and slowly walked toward Billy's door. He stopped short and ran his hand through his hair before reaching out and leaning on the doorway. "Ms. Desmond, is it? Tom Edwards."

"I know who you are, now Mr. Melrose has an assignment for you," Francine stepped back to allow Edwards space to walk by her. "Have a seat."

"Mr. Edwards, I understand you're still new here but you were top of your class at Station One," Billy gestured toward a chair across from his desk.

"Mr. Melrose, sir. Yes, top of my class. They told me I almost beat some hot shot named Scarecrow. Tied all his scores except Dodge City. Don't know how he got almost a perfect score. I tried three times but still couldn't beat him," Tom Edwards boasted.

"Yeah well, those scores aren't going to help you today. You and Ms. Desmond will be partnered up for a case involving a woman named Veronica Tucker who is currently using the alias Evelyn Harris. Now, Mrs. King has done quite a bit of research already, you'll be picking up where she left off," Billy began explaining to Edwards.

"Picking up? Why isn't she finishing it?" Edwards interrupted.

"Because her partner is too close. There is history behind our subject and her partner, plain and simple," Francine interjected.

"So why should that be a problem? I mean, wouldn't that be a good thing? Her partner knows a lot about the subject, right? Use that to their advantage?" Edwards answered with a sarcastic tone.

"Yes and no. If this was any other case then yes, her partner knowing the subject would be an advantage, however in this case, her partner is too close. He shot her 12 years ago and presumed she was dead. Reality was she spent 10 years in a federal prison," Francine stated.

"Ok, so why is that a problem? Obviously he was on the case 12 years ago, so what'd he do? Bungle the whole thing?" Edwards questioned.

"Scarecrow didn't bungle a damn thing," Billy snapped, getting angry at the tone and questioning of the new agent. "He followed full protocol and at the time, she was a trigger pull away from shooting him. He was a faster shot. That's the only thing that saved his hide. At the time, he and the subject had a relationship… which is why he is too close. Now he has too much on the line to get involved with her again. Is that understood?"

"Scarecrow? Is that Mrs. King's partner?" Edwards sounded confused.

"Do you have any idea of what goes on around here?" Francine questioned him as she rolled her eyes. "Scarecrow is Lee Stetson, THE best agent here. Amanda King is his partner. Together, they have the highest close rate in this agency. So if you feel the need to question anything else, I can find someone else to work with me on this, otherwise…" Francine said through gritted teeth.

"Stetson is Scarecrow? As in Station One Scarecrow? I'm sorry, I just didn't realize… I thought they made him up for us recruits to try to strive to… I didn't know… No, what do we need to do next?" Edwards stammered, realization hitting him that he was borderline subordinate.

"Head over to the Willard, interview the staff, see if they recognize anyone she's been talking to," Billy commanded. "And don't forget that guest list for Senator Michaels' party.

"Will do, I'll check-in two hours from now with a report. Time is of the essence here. Senator Michaels' party is in six days, not a lot of time to be chasing down every lead. We need to figure this out fast," Francine stated as she left Billy's office, a very silent Edwards just steps behind her.

As Francine and Edwards were leaving, Amanda and Lee were locking up the Q Bureau. "Jamie has photography club this afternoon and Philip has basketball practice. What do you say we divide and conquer, I'll pick up Philip and some groceries for dinner if you don't mind swinging by and getting Jamie," Amanda suggested.

"My, my, my, aren't we just the picture of domestication," a voice sounded off from behind them.

Lee didn't even turn around to see who it was, he could smell the cigarette burning. "Dr. Smyth, are you here for a reason or just to eavesdrop on our conversation?" he asked dryly.

"Scarecrow, you don't sound happy to see me? I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. So which of the kiddies are you going to help with tonight?" Dr. Smyth answered as he puffed on the long cigarette holder.

Lee slowly turned around to face him, waving the cloud of smoke between them. "That's none of your damn business. Now, are you here for a specific reason or just to bust my…" Lee snapped.

"Lee," Amanda stopped his last word with a sharp one of her own.

"I see the soon-to-be little woman already has you on a short leash. Tsk tsk tsk," Dr. Smyth teased.

"Dr. Smyth, I'm sure as you just gathered from overhearing us speaking, we have kids to pick up so if you could make this quick, I'd really appreciate it. I hate asking the boys to wait to be picked up," Amanda rambled, trying hard not to sound irritated.

"Yes, your brood. How are the tykes? Oh wait, no they're big boys aren't they… not big enough to know what their mother really does for work but big boys nonetheless," Dr. Smyth slid in a dig or two.

"Do you have a reason you're holding us up or is this just to aggravate me?" Lee asked as he tried to guide Amanda toward the door at the end of the hall.

"I heard Veronica Tucker was back in town. Planning on rekindling your relationship, are we?" Dr. Smyth asked as he held the holder in his teeth.

"No, and Amanda and I are already off the case. Go bark up Francine's tree," Lee answered. "Come on, Amanda, let's go."

Placing his hand on her lower back, Lee practically pushed Amanda down the hall.

"Running away again, Scarecrow? Afraid of what the past might stir up?" Dr. Smyth called after them.

Lee glared at Dr. Smyth as he opened the door without answering him. Before Dr. Smyth could say anything else, Lee slammed the door, causing Mrs. Marsten to jump. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Marsten," Lee apologized as he and Amanda handed her their badges.

"Will you be coming back today?" she asked politely.

"No, Amanda and I are heading home for some family time with the boys," Lee said with a smile as he closed the Georgetown Foyer door behind them.


	12. Chapter 12

Taking separate cars, Amanda and Lee managed to pick up the boys, run some errands and make it back to the house in record time. Although dinner chatter was at it's usual volume, Amanda couldn't help notice Lee was especially quiet, which worried her. Even Dotty took notice of his silence, questioning him twice if he was feeling well. Lee just smiled and nodded, answering politely he was fine, he just had something on his mind. Dotty looked at Amanda and raised an eyebrow when Lee turned away. Amanda just shook her head as if to say they would talk about it later.

Once the dishes had been cleared and Dotty ushered the boys upstairs to work on their homework, giving Amanda and Lee a few minutes to talk privately. They sat at the table, sipping coffee when Amanda asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Lee said firmly. Sighing, he spoke again, "Amanda, I think, maybe I should head to my apartment tonight. I think I need some time alone… to think about this whole thing."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Amanda asked as she reached across the table to cover his hand with her own.

"What I want? No. But I need to sort this out… talk to Francine… see what she came up with today," Lee tried to explain.

"But Billy said…" Amanda tried to reason with him.

"I know what Billy said, dammit," Lee exclaimed loudly as he slapped his hand on the table, causing Amanda to jump. Glancing toward the stairs, he softened his voice, "I'm sorry. I know what Billy said but I can't let this go, Amanda. You have to understand that."

"I understand, Sweetheart. Listen, if you need to talk, I'm here. Just call me, anytime," Amanda replied softly.

"I know," Lee rubbed her hand with his thumb. "I should get going before your mother comes down to interrogate me. She's pretty intuitive… just like someone else I know," Lee said as he smiled. Standing, he put his coffee mug in the sink before turning back to Amanda. He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and kissed her lightly before letting go and slipping out the back door.

As the door clicked closed, Dotty descended the stairs asking, "Did Lee leave?"

"Yes, Mother, he's heading back to his apartment for the night," Amanda answered trying not to make direct eye contact with her mother. Instead she concentrated on washing the dishes in the sink.

"He was very out of sorts tonight, don't you think, Amanda?" Dotty asked. Without waiting for a reply, she continued, "Does this have something to do with work? Did something happen at work today? Amanda? I know you can't tell me everything but the least you can do is tell me if something happened at work today."

Sighing heavily, Amanda knew she had no choice but to answer her so she said, "Yes, Mother, something happened at work today. It's someone from his past that Lee thought had died but it turned out she hadn't."

"She… someone from his past… so did this she and Lee have a relationship?" Dotty questioned.

"Sort of, but that was a very, very long time ago... Mother, there is nothing for you to worry about. Lee is not going to get back with her, if that's what you're thinking," Amanda stated.

"Then why is he so upset over this?" Dotty asked, concerned for both Lee and Amanda.

"It's a long story, Mother, but we're okay. Lee and I are just fine," Amanda tried to reassure her mother. In an attempt to change the subject, she said, "Did Lee tell you what he's thinking about teaching the boys to make for dinner tomorrow night? Thai food," Amanda laughed.

Dotty just stared at her for almost thirty seconds before blinking. "Thai food? Amanda, does he know your boys?" she laughed.

"Yes, Mother, he does and you know what, I think he kind of likes them, too," Amanda joked.

"Well, I hope they still like him after tomorrow night," Dotty replied shaking her head.

Together they finished washing the dinner dishes, chatting lightly about the boys upcoming events. Amanda couldn't help but glance at the back door a few times, silently hoping Lee would be in a better frame of mind the next day.

Back in his apartment, Lee was nursing a glass of Scotch, flipping through an old file, reading notes written 12 years ago. Justified use of force. Agent's life was threatened. Suspect in critical condition with shoulder injury - survival chances unknown.

Picking up the phone, he dialed Francine's home number. As the machine message began to play, he debated on simply hanging up but he needed answers so after the beep he began talking, "Francine, listen, it's me, Scarecrow. I need to talk to you, about Veronica, please…."

"Lee! Don't hang up," Francine answered, breathless. "I'm here… I'm here… let me just turn this off…"

Hearing another long beep, Lee knew she stopped the recorded but waited for Francine to start talking.

"Ok, I'm here," Francine replied, still trying to catch her breath. She had just come in the apartment carrying grocery bags and rushed to get inside when she heard the phone ringing.

"So what did you find today?" Lee didn't even try to sweet talk her into giving him information, he was going for the direct approach.

"Lee, you're off this… Remember, Billy pulled you," Francine answered him as she sat down.

"Come on, Francine, this is Veronica we're talking about here. This was the case you had to re-examine for certification. You know this case inside and out, the least you can do is tell me what you found," Lee tried again.

"Lee… I shouldn't…. If Billy found out I told you," Francine answered. She knew one way or another he was going to get answers.

"He's not going to find out unless you tell him," Lee stated.

"Fine, I'll tell you but there's not too much to tell. Edwards and I headed over to the Willard to interview the other staff members there. It was the usual answer… she's a bartender, talks to everyone… no one stood out, she didn't spend any extra time on one patron over another. So we headed back and began research on the guest list. That's as far as we got tonight. Tomorrow he and I will head over to her house again, see if we can get some different answers," Francine explained.

Lee furrowed his brow, hoping she had more to tell him. "Edwards? Who's that? Wait… don't tell me Billy gave you a partner on this?"

"Yeah, a newbie… fresh out of Station One, a real charmer. And you're gonna love this… he almost beat your scores too," Francine laughed.

"Really? Almost beat them by how much?" Lee was curious.

"Tied everything except Dodge City. Said he tried three times but couldn't beat you," Francine informed her friend.

"Well then I can't wait to meet Mr. Edwards and shake his hand. That's quite an accomplishment, even if he didn't beat me," Lee answered laughing. "Francine?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"Thank you," Lee simply said. Before waiting for a reply, he hung up the phone.

Taking another swallow of his Scotch, he picked it up again and called Amanda. She answered on the second ring,"Hello?"

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you, I love you," he said.

Amanda smiled, "I love you, too. Did you get the answers you needed tonight?" she asked knowing he had probably called Francine.

"Yes and no. Um, listen, about dinner tomorrow night with the boys," Lee began. Amanda held her breath, hoping he wasn't cancelling. "I was thinking maybe I won't tell the boys what it is until after they've tried it. You know, give them any misconceptions."

Amanda exhaled as she answered, "I think that might be a good idea."

"Good night, Amanda," Lee said softly.

"Good night, Sweetheart," she replied as she hung up the receiver.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, Lee was at Amanda's door before the boys had finished their breakfast. Without being asked, he jumped in to help make their lunches as Amanda showered for work. Dotty sat at the table with the boys, sipping her coffee and smiling. "Lee, have you decided what's on the dinner menu this evening?" she asked with a grin.

Lee just smiled, playing her game, and said, "Seasoned chicken with vegetables and noodles. How does that sound, fellas? Oh, and something I know your mother likes, scallion pancakes."

Jamie furrowed his brow for a moment, his expression a mirror image of Amanda's when she was thinking. "Well, if Mom likes it, I guess we could try to make it for her. What kind of seasonings?" he asked slowly.

"Well, tumeric, coriander, some cayenne pepper," Lee rambled off the top of his head.

Philip screwed up his face in distaste as he said, "That doesn't sound good at all. Are you sure Mom likes that?"

"I know for a fact your mom loves it. So same plan as last week? I'll pick you up after school, then we come back here and start cooking?" Lee confirmed.

Jamie checked his watch and in similar Amanda fashion announced, "Philip, we're gonna be late." Both boys jumped into action, putting their dishes in the sink as they grabbed their lunches and backpacks and ran out the door with a simple, "Bye! See you this afternoon Lee!"

Hearing the commotion, Amanda jogged down the stairs, and stared at the front door. "Well, I hope they have a good day," she said shaking her head.

Lee handed her a mug of coffee as she sat down on one of the stools. Dotty looked at Lee and Amanda and smiled again. "Amanda, have you and Lee been house hunting at all?" she asked.

"Actually, Mother, IFF is selling off some of its properties and I think Lee and I found a house through them," Amanda stated as she sipped her coffee.

"Really? Where?" Dotty asked as her eyebrows raised in interest.

"Over by Barclay Knolls Park. So if all goes well, the boys can stay in the same schools," Amanda answered.

Dotty thought for a moment, then replied, "Amanda, are those the French Provincials? Those must cost a small fortune."

Lee sipped his coffee again then answered before Amanda, "Don't worry, Dotty. When IFF sells these houses off, they are at a reduced price for a quick sale. Kind of like an auction, only we get to bid on them ahead of time."

"Speaking of which, have you talked to Billy?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah, he, ah, he had me fill out some paperwork. Nothing to worry about," Lee said nonchalantly. Glancing at his watch, Lee noticed the time. "Listen, Amanda, I'm supposed to be meeting my uncle at nine. I'll see you at the office." Lee kissed her on the cheek as he walked past to her put his mug in the sink. "Have a good day, Dotty."

Amanda watched Lee leave, thinking about what he said. Dotty could tell Amanda's wheels were turning. "Amanda? What is going on in that mind of yours?" she asked lightly.

"Oh, it's nothing, Mother, just… Lee didn't mention any paperwork… I think… I think I'm going to stop by Mr. Melrose's office this…" Amanda said quietly.

"Mr. Melrose? Why do I know… wait… you're not talking about that Federal Agent that was here? Amanda, why would you have to stop by his office?" Dotty asked as she narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

"Shoot," Amanda whispered under her breath realizing too late they hadn't told her mother about Billy yet. "Well, he works for both the Federal Agency and IFF and he is part of the office that is in charge of the housing sell-offs, Mother. So… if Lee talked to him and filled out some paperwork, I'm sure he must need my signature on a few things as well. I'll just stop by and check in with him if he's there. Listen, Mother, I was thinking… how would you like to go dress shopping for Joe's wedding later this afternoon? You know, just you and me while Lee has the boys?" Amanda hoped she could distract her mother with the idea of shopping.

"Oh, Amanda, that's a great idea! I saw the most beautiful dress in that new little boutique downtown. You would look stunning in it, I'm sure of it!" Dotty replied, excitedly.

"All right, Mother, I have a meeting this morning but how about I pick you up around three?" Amanda suggested.

"That would be perfect. Oh, Amanda, I miss the days we used to just take off and shop. The last time we did that was a few years ago, before you met Dean, I think," Dotty replied wistfully.

"No, it hasn't been that long. We've gone antiquing a few times. Listen, I'll see you later, Mother. If I don't leave now, I'm gonna be late for work," Amanda smiled as she grabbed an apple in one hand and her keys and headed out the door.

Across the bridge, Lee was just pulling into a parking spot at the Officers Club. Unconsciously, he straightened his tie and smoothed the lapels on his jacket before climbing out of his car. He entered the restaurant, scanning the tables for the Colonel, his body immediately tensing up as soon as he saw him. Surprisingly, the Colonel smiled and waved him to the table as soon as he saw him. Relaxing just a bit, Lee smiled back nervously as he crossed the room.

"Skip, it's nice to see you. Nice jacket," Colonel Clayton said lightly as he stood when Lee reached the table. Extending his hand, Lee slowly took it, giving it a few pumps before releasing it and sitting down.

"Colonel, is everything ok? You were rather cryptic in your call yesterday," Lee asked.

"Everything's fine, Skip. I can't call my only nephew and invite him to breakfast?" he asked.

The waiter stopped at the table where the two men ordered, an omelet with bacon and toast for the colonel, coffee and an toasted bagel for Lee.

"Still avoiding breakfast, huh, Skip? I would have thought Amanda would have broken you of that habit by now," the Colonel teased.

Laughing, Lee replied, "She's been trying, I'll give her that. But really, if you know I don't eat breakfast, why invite me?"

"Well, Skip, I have a gift for you. Call it an early wedding present," Colonel Clayton said as he reached into his inside coat pocket and pulled out an envelope and placed it on the table beside his silverware.

"A wedding present? Colonel, I don't understand," Lee said, sounding very confused. The waiter stopped by to deliver their food and refill their coffee mugs.

"Amanda called, gave me all the information about your upcoming nuptials, which by the way, it's about time. Anyway, she wanted to make sure I knew before the invitation came in the mail," Colonel Clayton explained as he tasted his omelet.

"Yeah, I asked her to. I thought you'd appreciate a personal invitation before … well… I know we both never thought this would happen, but Amanda's …." Lee found himself at a loss for words.

"Amanda is a wonderful woman and you are very lucky to have found her, Skip. Now, here, I'm sure you'll find good use for this," he said, handing Lee the envelope.

Slowly, Lee accepted it, looking at his uncle for a moment before opening it. Inside was a check made out to Lee Stetson and Amanda King in the amount of fifty thousand dollars. Lee looked at his uncle incredulously. "Colonel, we can't… we can't accept this… this is…" Lee stuttered.

"Yes, Skip, you can… and you will. You see that money will be yours one way or another, whether I give it to you now or after I die. That is your inheritance from me, son. I figure with that ready made family you're going to have soon, you could use it now," the Colonel informed him as he continued to eat his omelet.

Lee just stared at the check, not sure of how to respond. Growing up, his uncle was frugal, spending money only when it was necessary. "But, Colonel, this…." Lee stammered again.

"Listen, Lee, your parents didn't leave much behind when they… well, you know… so I used what little money that was left along with your Social Security Survivor Benefits to pay for your college tuition. This money has been set aside a little at a time for you. I didn't think you'd ever get married so I figured you'd just get it when I died. Now, that's not the case," the Colonel explained between bites. "Now, take the check, use it wisely. And eat your bagel. I don't want Amanda angry with me because I didn't force you to eat breakfast."

"I don't know what to say," Lee shook his head.

"Well, I hope you have enough manners to say thank you, or did you forget everything I ever taught you?" the Colonel smiled.

"Thank you, Sir. I can't wait to tell Amanda about this… you don't know what this is going to mean for us…" Lee's mind was reeling. His first reaction was the house. They could practically pay off the entire mortgage, financing just small portion of it which would help them with their monthly budget, something he already knew Amanda was worried about.

"From the look on your face right now, I think I do. Now finish that bagel, that's an order," the Colonel stated firmly.

"Yes, Sir," Lee replied, smiling.


	14. Chapter 14

"I don't care, you're not asking her any questions," Francine said firmly as she and Edwards sat in an Agency issue sedan outside Veronica Tucker's rental house.

"But come on, I can appeal to her feminine side," Edwards said in his smoothest tone.

Francine just turned and looked at him, as she exclaimed, "Her feminine side? She's not from the Steno Pool, this woman trades humans and information to the highest bidder for a living."

"Yeah, but I'm sure a smile, a laugh, I could soften her enough to get some answers," Edwards kept pushing.

"Unbelievable! You are unbelievable," Francine threw her hands up, exasperated. "You know what, you're staying in the car. You get out of this car and I will shoot you myself," Francine threatened him as she opened the car door. Slamming it, she took a moment to calm herself before walking up to the front door, leaving Edwards in the car, his mouth gaping open.

Ringing the doorbell, she waited and watched the windows for movement. She heard footsteps approaching and plastered on her best smile as the door swung open. "Miss Harris? Hi, my name is Francine Desmond, I'm here from Senator Michaels' office… Can I ask you a few quick questions about his dinner party next week?" she asked.

"Another one? Don't you people talk to one another? I already answered that other woman…. Amanda… something or other's …. questions. If Senator Michaels' doesn't need an extra bartender that's fine. I was just taking the job for some extra cash, figured it would be a good gig," Veronica rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"I just have a few simple questions, so please, just a few minutes of your time and we won't bother you again," Francine pushed.

"Fine, you have five minutes, no more," Veronica snapped.

"In Amanda's notes she mentioned your injury… that you have limited movement in your … left arm I think this says?" Francine pretended to have a hard time deciphering Amanda's nearly perfect penmanship.

"Yes, again, I had an accident 12 years ago that left me with nerve damage," Veronica shook her head, clearly annoyed with Francine.

"And you speak Russian working with an interpreter friend?" Francine smiled sweetly.

"Yes, and no my friend didn't work for the Embassy," Veronica once again snapped.

Speaking in Russian, Francine asked, "Does your friend spend a lot of time working with dignitaries?"

Replying in English, Veronica said, "No, he works trading goods… import export I guess you could say."

Switching back to English, Francine asked, "And are you familiar with any of the guests that will be attending Senator Michaels' party?"

"I heard some talk at work the other night. Two men were talking at the bar, saying Senator Michaels has some interesting idea on foreign trade laws. That's the total extent of what I know of Senator Michaels and any of his guests," Veronica answered her. Looking down at her watch, she looked at Francine one last time and said, "One minute then times up."

Francine thought quickly then took a chance. "Miss Harris, do you know a Lee Stetson by any chance? His name has been floating around Senator Michaels' office as a possible threat?" Francine lied. She didn't miss the flash of anger in Veronica's eyes although she quickly tried to cover it up.

"No, I don't know that name. Should I?" Veronica asked.

"We are just checking all possibilities and connections he may have attending the dinner. Well," Francine glanced at the file, "I think you've answered all my questions. I'll be in touch later this week."

Veronica shook her head again, "I explained to that other woman I'm leaving town Thursday night for a few days."

"Well then, I'll do my best to wrap this up before then. Thank you for your time, Miss Harris," Francine said.

"I don't know what you people think you're going to find. I'm just a bartender," Veronica challenged.

"Well, you never know… Mata Hari was only a dancer until she was found to be a German spy in World War 1… Oh, I'm sorry… I'm just a history buff… these facts just slip out once in a while," Francine pretended to laugh, hoping Veronica understood her meaning.

"I'm not one to repeat history, or revisit it for that matter. I like to cut my losses as they are and move on," Veronica tossed back.

"Thank you again for your time. I'll be in touch," Francine nodded as she turned to walk away slowly toward the car. She noticed Edwards was no longer sitting in the vehicle and she immediately pursed her lips and scanned the area to see if she could find where he might have gone. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him, moving toward the side of the house, ducking under the windows, something in his hand.

Getting into the car, she drove away, stopping a few doors down when she was out of sight of Veronica's house. Francine got out, muttering under her breath about hot shot newbies and he was going to get a piece of her mind when they were back in the car.

Behind the house, Edwards had found the outside panel for Veronica's phone line. Cutting the outside wire holding the panel closed, he carefully opened the cover, he clipped a relay device onto the lines, closed the panel and twisted the wires together again.

Above him was an open window and just as he was about to move back toward the car he heard Veronica's voice on the phone. "Another agent was here today asking questions. Is everything else in place? All arrangements have been made for Shchavesky? What do you mean there's a delay? Poda isn't going to like delays."

Edwards flattened himself against the building, trying to figure out how he was going to move away from the building when he saw Francine. Once they made eye contact, he lifted his head upward to indicate Veronica was above him. Francine cut back toward the street and walked briskly back toward the door, hoping she could distract Veronica long enough for Edwards to clear the house without being seen.

Knocking on the door, Francine exhaled. "Miss Harris, I'm sorry, can I borrow your phone? I was paged by the office and it appears to be an emergency," she lied, as Veronica opened the door once again.

Veronica shook her head, she replied, "Yeah, fine, it's in here."

As Veronica turned, Francine saw Edwards sprint across the yard toward the street. "Thank you. I'm just hoping it's nothing serious. I don't usually get the 911 calls," she said. Picking up the phone, she called the Q Bureau extension knowing Amanda would probably be there. Thinking fast she said, "Hi, Mandy? This is Francine, I got your page. Is everything ok with catering?"

Amanda picked up on her cues immediately, "Francine, we need to talk about the caterer."

"The caterer can't guarantee enough ice for the bar? Why is that our problem?" Francine kept going.

"I understand, Francine, come back here and we can discuss it," Amanda replied in the event someone may be listening.

"All right, I'll be right there," Francine hung up the phone and turned to Veronica. "Ice? Can you believe that? She had an emergency for ice… Seriously, where do they find these people?" Francine tried to sound completely annoyed.

"Well, I hope that gets straightened out. Nothing worse than a warm drink," Veronica answered dryly.

"Thank you again. I apologize for taking up more of your time," Francine thanked her again as she moved toward the door. Once outside, Francine walked purposely toward the car, anger written all over her face when she saw Edwards leaning against it waiting for her. "What was that all about?" she snapped at him.

"Just a little relay device attached to her phone lines. We should be able to track all calls in and out," he answered matter of factly. Climbing into the car, he waited for her to climb in before offering, "Coffee on me?"

"You almost got caught outside her house and you want to go for coffee? Nice try, buster! We have a report to start writing or did you forget about that part of the job. You know, document everything to cover your…" Francine snapped again.

"I was hoping you'd take care of that… reports aren't really my thing," Edwards replied sheepishly.

"Reports aren't your thing? Well, you're in the wrong line of work for that. We spend more time on reports than in the field some days," Francine informed him as she drove back toward the agency.


	15. Chapter 15

Walking into the Q Bureau, Lee was still in a great mood. He was still reeling from the check his uncle had given him, which was currently tucked away in his suit jacket's inner pocket. He was hoping Amanda would be at her desk but she was nowhere to be found. The file she was working on the day before was still sitting on her desk. Tossing his keys onto his own desk, Lee sat and began flipping through the Henderson file Amanda had pulled out. He was so focused on some of the details he didn't hear the door open.

"Why are you reading that? Billy took us off the case, remember," Amanda said firmly as she closed the door. Crossing the office floor, she plucked the file from his hands without a word and dropped it on her own desk. "I'll make sure Francine gets that too. Maybe there's something helpful in there."

"Amanda, I know what Billy said… I just can't… I can't walk away from this, you understand that. I mean, if this was someone from your past… if this was…. Conrad… what's his name… " Lee snapped his fingers, trying to remember.

"Barnhill, Connie Barnhill," Amanda supplied.

"Yeah, Barnhill. Would you be able to walk away?" Lee tried to rationalize with her.

"First of all, Connie and I never had an intimate relationship like that. And secondly, we have too much to lose right now. Lee, please, think about this, for me?" Amanda said as she sat down on the edge of his desk.

"All right, I'll let it go, for now.… for you," Lee sighed.

"How was breakfast with the Colonel? Is everything good with him? He seemed pretty happy when I talked to him on the phone last week," Amanda replied.

Remembering the check, Lee smiled and said, "You'll never believe what he did. He gave us a wedding present… an early wedding present."

"He did? That was awful nice of him. What is it?" Amanda said sweetly.

Reaching into his pocket, Lee pulled out the envelope with the check and handed it to her. Watching her face, Amanda's expression went from happy to shock, her mouth hanging open. "Lee, this is a check for fifty thousand dollars. Fifty thousand dollars. We can't accept this," she stated firmly.

"I tried to tell him that too but, do you know what he told me? He said this was my inheritance from him and I'm gonna get it now or when he dies, but either way, the money is mine," Lee explained. "Amanda, do you know what this means?"

Amanda just sat, staring at the check, shaking her head. She couldn't believe it. "Lee, we can't take this… This is… this is too much," she whispered softly.

Standing, Lee took Amanda's hands in his,he said, "You know how my uncle is, when his mind is set on something, he won't take no for an answer. Amanda, think about this. We could practically pay for that house, start off our lives together with very little debt. Maybe put a little aside for expenses. Between what I've put away and this… not to mention the sale of your house…"

"I don't know… It's just so much…." Amanda was still shocked by Lee's uncle's generosity. As she shook her head, another thought came to mind. "Lee, how much did you have put aside for the down payment?" she asked.

"I.. um… I had… um… just over …. " Lee mumbled the rest.

"What was that… I couldn't hear you," Amanda said, leaning forward.

"I saved just a little over…." he mumbled again.

"Lee, just tell me, how much did you have saved up?" Amanda questioned.

"Amanda… I…" Lee sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "I had about twenty thousand saved since last February. I gave Billy a check to put down on the house so hopefully we'd have a better shot than the other agents bidding on it… Amanda… that house is perfect for us… think about it… if we lose that, we may not find another one like it that we can afford like this." Taking the check from her shaking hands, he said, "And with this… we can practically pay it off and still keep some for expenses."

Amanda's mouth formed an O as she blinked a few times before asking, "How did you save twenty thousand dollars in…." Amanda counted months in her head… "nine months?"

"It wasn't that hard… we eat at home more than we go out, I've been working overtime when I can, no expensive spur of the minute vacations, anything I've been reimbursed for at the Agency, I've put the money aside, for us," Lee explained.

"Lee, I'm just… this is so overwhelming… I don't know what to say…" Amanda began but was interrupted when Francine walked into the Q Bureau.

"Don't say anything, Amanda, until you hear this," Francine said as she dropped a file on Lee's desk. "I'm pretty sure I know who Veronica Tucker's target is. Artem Shchavesky, 63, a scientist from the Institute for Nuclear Research in Troitsk, Moscow. He specializes in neutrino astrophysics and has been here in Washington at the talks for the treaty between the US and the USSR on the elimination of their intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles."

Picking up the file, Amanda looked at the profile picture of the scientist then flipped through the remaining pages, skimming for any information that stood out. "Why him?" she asked.

"Because he is a firm supporter of the US, not the Mother country. And, thanks to Edwards we traced a call Veronica made to one Victor Poda in Boston," Francine informed them.

"Poda? I thought he was holed up in some prison in Mexico City?" Lee asked.

"He escaped just over two years ago, and now he's surfaced in Boston," Francine stated.

Lee looked at Francine for a moment before saying, "You said Edwards got this information? How?"

"He clipped a relay onto her phone lines while I was there questioning her again. Granted he almost got caught and if it wasn't for Amanda, I would probably still be trying to explain how a caterer runs out of ice… but overall he did a decent job," Francine admitted.

"Well, where is Mr. Edwards? I'd like to congratulate him on his first assignment. Heck, if he can survive working with you, then he'll survive anything," Lee laughed.

"Actually he should be up here any minute. I did give him directions so hopefully he finished up his report and finds his way. I didn't tell him whose office it was though," Francine said lightly.

"Oh? Did you explain about the importance of reports and how Dr. Smyth will scrutinize every inch of it?" Lee teased.

Francine looked right at him and deadpanned, "He wanted me to do it for him."

Amanda immediately started laughing, "Now who does that remind you of?"

"Hey, I don't have you do every report for me…" he said indignantly, " just the ones that I know are really important… Speaking of which, I need to get this one down to Billy. It was supposed to be on his desk this morning," Lee said as he stood, taking a file folder with him. "I'll be back in a few minutes to meet your new partner," he teased Francine as he left the office.

"So how is Edwards? Is it tough working with a newbie again?" Amanda asked politely knowing Francine's reactions when she had first started at the agency.

"You don't know the half of it. He's rude, thinks he's a superstar just because he did well at Station One, arrogant…" Francine began when they heard a tentative knock on the door. "It's open," she called, identifying Edwards by his silhouette through the frosted glass window.

"Um, Francine, I have that report completed," Edwards said as he stepped into the room, a file folder in his hands. Looking around, he saw Amanda first and immediately walked over to introduce himself. "Hi, I'm Tom Edwards. I'm working with Francine. And who is this beautiful creature before me?" He took her hand in his, holding it gently.

"Edwards, this is Amanda…." Francine began.

"Please tell me they don't keep you hidden away in this dreary office all day," Edwards said to Amanda.

Amanda blushed as she said, "No, not at all. I get to spend a good deal of time out in the field with my partner."

Edwards dropped her hand slowly as he said, "And yet here you are, all alone up here."

"I'm not alone. My partner just went down to Mr. Melrose's office to drop off a report. He should be back in a few minutes," Amanda explained. "Francine was telling us about your little adventure yesterday."

"Well, you know… it wasn't much. I mean it didn't take more than a minute or two to get that rigged up. I could have done that in my sleep," he bragged.

Francine closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sure Amanda's partner could have done it better… or at least that's what he'd tell you back in his early days," she said dryly.

"Really? A bit of a hot shot was he? Betcha he's washed up now, stuck in this office…" Edwards began as the door opened and Lee stepped inside. Edwards took a step back from Amanda for a moment then said, "Edwards, Tom Edwards. And you are?"

Lee stepped forward, said, "I'm Lee Stetson, Scarecrow, Amanda's partner."

"Scarecrow… so you're the one… hey, I tied your scores at Station One," Edwards said, his eyes widening.

"I heard, except Dodge City. That's a tough one to crack, but I'm a good shot under pressure, I guess," Lee said.

Edwards turned to Amanda and said, "If he's Scarecrow, that must make you Miss King. I've heard you are an extraordinary agent. You and Scarecrow have the highest close rate, thanks to your brilliant insight, I understand."

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Amanda replied, "That's Mrs. King…" but was interrupted by Lee.

"Mrs. Stetson….. I mean, almost Mrs. Stetson," he said quickly, trying to cover his slip. "We're getting married in a few weeks…"

Francine raised an eyebrow at Amanda, so Amanda said, "We've been practicing the names… you know… Mr. and Mrs. Stetson… when we're alone… then it won't seem so strange after we get married."

"Damn, just my luck!" He snaps his finger, but then asked thoughtfully, "The Agency allows partners to get married?"

"Yeah, okay then. Well, Edwards, what else do you have for me?" Francine asked, changing the subject.

"I had Surveillance trace the other calls she made today. She called The Round Robin first thing this morning and made another call to a Stephanie Adams. We did a quick check on her, she's another bartender at The Round Robin. Then the last number she called was to Continental Airlines where we were able to check their system. She purchased a round-trip ticket to Boston, leaving Thursday afternoon," Edwards stated, listing everything on the paper in front of him.

"Well, she did tell me she was leaving to go to Boston for a few days when I talked to her yesterday," Amanda confirmed.

"And the two calls to The Round Robin and Stephanie Adams… maybe she was confirming her work schedule or making sure she had coverage the days she was gone," Francine rationalized.

"So far, today, nothing looks suspicious," Amanda replied.

"Everything Veronica does is suspicious," Lee snapped.

"That's right… you would know… you had a relationship with her, didn't you?" Edwards piped up.

"And that has no bearing on our current case," Francine snapped. "Edwards, follow me," she commanded as she left the office.

Edwards took one look at Amanda before leaving and said, "Until we meet again, Mrs. King." Following Francine, he closed the door behind him.


	16. Chapter 16

"Wow, can you believe him? Francine sure has her hands full," Amanda commented after Francine and Edwards left the office.

Lee shook his head, still trying to wrap his brain around the new developments. Thinking out loud, Lee said, "So Veronica is back to her old tricks…. A Russian scientist… that's right up her alley. But why? What's her motive this time?"

"That's not for you to figure out, remember, that's up to Francine," Amanda reminded him. Trying to change the subject, Amanda said, "Mother suggested she and I go dress shopping this afternoon since you'll be picking up the boys. Do you think Billy needs me? We're caught up with our other reports and I have surveillance set up for Noves."

"What kind of surveillance?" Lee asked.

"Right now, general… two team tracking his movements for the next 48 hours, reporting every three hours," Amanda informed him.

"When did you arrange all that?" Lee asked, confused.

"Before I came up here. I figured we had enough evidence to monitor him at least," Amanda said rationally.

"Well, it sounds like you have everything under control. You know what, I think I'm going to head down to the shooting range for a bit… blow off some steam down there before I pick up the boys. Veronica has me… I don't know how to explain it… on edge… unsettled," Lee said as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Is there anything I can do?" Amanda asked, worried.

"No, no, I just need to work through this on my own. See you for dinner tonight?" Lee asked.

"I can't wait," Amanda replied with a smile as she left the office and headed downstairs to Billy's office.

Knocking on the door, she waited for Billy's commanding voice to answer, "It's open."

"Sir, I just wanted to check in with you regarding the Noves investigation," Amanda stated as she opened the door.

"Sure, come on in, Amanda," Billy answered and gestured toward a chair for Amanda to sit.

"I set up the surveillance for the next 48 hours," she explained.

"That's good work, Amanda, but you know you didn't need to come down here to tell me about it. I read the request before approving it. Tell me why you're really here," Billy said softly but firmly. He knew something more was going through her mind.

Amanda looked down at her hands, nervously, and said, "Sir, I'm worried about Lee. This whole thing with Veronica Tucker… he's distracted… upset… I'm worried."

Billy nodded in agreement. He knew Lee was distracted but he also knew it wasn't just about Veronica Tucker. "Amanda, Lee will be fine. I'm sure of it. Once this whole thing has blown over, he'll be back to his old self," Billy tried to assure her.

"Not completely back to his old self, I hope," Amanda teased lightly.

"No, he's grown up too much for that, don't worry about that house either. Lee's on top of things and that I can promise you," Billy laughed lightly.

"Sir, do you need me to sign anything for this? I mean I remember when Joe and I bought the house on Maplewood we spent what felt like hours signing forms," Amanda rambled.

"Not yet, Amanda, but I have a good feeling about this. Lee submitted the bid and now it's just a matter of waiting a few more days for confirmation from Acquisitions," Billy explained.

"Did Lee tell you about the check?" Amanda asked.

"The check? He gave me a check to submit with his bid," Billy answered.

"No, the new check. The one the Colonel gave him," Amanda said cryptically.

"No, he hasn't mentioned anything about another check," Billy answered, his interest peaked.

"You should ask him about the check, it may change things," she answered nodding.

Billy looked at her, thoroughly confused. "I'll do that. Do you happen to know where Lee may be at the moment?" he asked.

"He said he was going to head down to the shooting range for a while to blow off some steam before picking up the boys after school," Amanda stated.

"Yes, tonight is dinner night," Billy laughed. "What is he planning on teaching them tonight?"

"Thai food, but between us, I don't think they'll even try it," Amanda whispered loudly as she glanced out the window as if she was looking for Lee.

Billy laughed even louder, his deep bellow infectious. Finally catching his breath, he said, "I'm sure he'll figure it out."

Sighing loudly, Amanda began, "Sir, if you don't need me for anything else this afternoon…."

"You can go, Amanda. I'm sure between your wedding plans, Joe's wedding and a new house on the horizon, your plate is pretty full. Take the afternoon off, enjoy it," Billy said warmly.

"Thank you, Sir, I'll make it up tomorrow afternoon. The boys stay late at school so it makes it easier," Amanda explained.

"No need to, Amanda. You put in extra hours last week to make up for it and still get overtime," Billy informed her.

Standing, Amanda moved toward the door as she said, "Thank you, Sir. Have a good day."

"We'll see you tomorrow. I can't wait to hear about dinner," Billy laughed again.

Downstairs in the shooting range, Lee wasn't laughing. He was hoping to have the range to himself but when he entered the enclosed area he could hear the pop, pop, pop of a Luger, semi-automatic pistol.

Picking up a noise cancelling headset, Lee carried it over to an empty spot at the opposite end of the room. He didn't even glance at the other shooter until he heard his voice, "Agent Nelson? I seem to be having a problem over here." Lee immediately recognized the voice as Edwards.

"I know the Agent on Duty sign outside says Nelson, but please, call me Leatherneck. What can I do for you?" Leatherneck replied as he strolled across the range platform toward the lane Edwards was standing in.

"I can't get the target to stop. Every time I hit the button, it goes all the way back," he tried to explain to Leatherneck.

Lee shook his head and practically laughed when Leatherneck explained, "That's because you're on the 100 yard alley. It's not going to stop, Ace."

"Oh, I didn't realize there was a difference in the alleys," Edwards looked around, slightly confused.

"Yeah, these ones here are the hundreds, those ones are seventy five and those down there, where Agent Anderson is shooting are the fifties. If the hundreds are too hard…" Leatherneck explained.

"Nah, I just don't have much practice on them, that's all," Edwards brushed off.

"Well, if you need any pointers, Scarecrow over there is your man, still holds the Agency record for accuracy at any range," Leatherneck complimented Lee.

Ignoring the two men, Lee donned the headset and took his stance, emptying the clip in rapid succession. Pressing the button to retrieve the paper target, Edwards whistled at the close circle Lee had created around the center of the target.

Placing his weapon on the table, Edwards moved over to stand behind Lee and watch closer. Lee glanced over at him over his shoulder then turned back to the reset target, this time emptying the clip with a spread of bullets across all major contact points on the target.

Removing the headset, Lee hit the button to retrieve the target again as Leatherneck laughed, "I wouldn't want to be on the other end of that, if I was one of the bad guys. I'll be back at the desk if you need anything else." Leatherneck turned and whistled as he walked away.

"Scarecrow? Can I ask you a question?" Edwards asked.

"Sure," Lee answered briskly.

"You and Mrs. King… are you really getting married? I mean, you're serious?" Edwards asked.

Lee reset the target and turned to stare at him. "Yeah, we're serious. Why?" Lee practically demanded.

Edwards shifted nervously as he replied, "I was gonna ask Mrs. King out for a drink. You know get to know her a little better."

Lee didn't even put his headset back on, he turned angrily, emptying the clip in record time. Clenching his jaw, the muscles twitching wildly, he retrieved the target and handed it to Edwards saying one word, "No." Lee stormed away, tossing the headset toward Leatherneck when he left.

Leatherneck looked back at Edwards, who's face had gone white. "What'd you say to him?" he asked.

Carrying the paper target toward Leatherneck, Edwards quietly said, "I asked if he was serious about Mrs. King."

Leatherneck immediately shook his head as he laughed. Looking at the target he held, he said, "I think that is your answer."

Holding up the target with shaky hands, Edwards shuddered at the tight cluster circle in the chest of the target and the single bullet hole dead center on the head.


	17. Chapter 17

When Lee returned to the Q Bureau, Amanda had left him her keys, along with a note. Picking up the the phone, he dialed the number of his car phone. Amanda answered on the second ring, "Hey, feeling any better?" she asked.

"A little," he lied. After his confrontation with Edwards, he was more on edge.

"I talked to Billy," Amanda informed him. "I mentioned the check from the Colonel."

"Oh? What did Billy say?" Lee was surprised.

"I didn't tell Billy how much the check was for, I'll let you tell him. I was thinking about what you said, about putting some of it away for expenses. I think that's a good idea," Amanda said.

"Ok, then let's do this… let's keep the twenty I saved and give Billy the fifty," Lee said thoughtfully.

"I'll leave that up to you, Sweetheart. Mother and I should be out for a few hours. She needs to find a dress for Joe's wedding and ours. I think I need one for Joe's wedding too. I can't believe it's the weekend after next. Do you need your suit cleaned?" Amanda rambled just a bit.

"I'll drop my suit at the cleaners tomorrow. And, Amanda? I think you'll look beautiful no matter what you wear," Lee smiled.

"I'll see you later," Amanda answered as she blushed. Hanging up the phone, she pulled into her driveway and beeped the horn.

Dotty climbed into the car a few minutes later commenting, "Amanda! I don't know how you drive this. It's so small compared to your car. Do you think Lee will keep this after you get married? It's not really a family car. A bachelor car, yes, but not a family car."

Amanda just shook her head and replied, "No, Mother, it's not a family car but Lee loves this car. I don't see him giving it up just because we got married."

"Men and their toys," Dotty answered enigmatically.

Amanda shook her head as she backed out of the driveway.

Back at the Agency, with two hours to spare before he needed to pick up the boys, Lee headed down for a session with Dr. Pain. After 45 minutes, they both called it a draw, Stanley rubbing his ribs after the last kick Lee had planted on him. Feeling better, Lee showered quickly before picking up the boys from school.

He took them to the international food market in Georgetown where the boys wandered through the aisles following him, wide-eyed and unsure. At one point, Philip held up a bottle of fish sauce and said, "So, Lee, you're telling me my mom likes this stuff?"

Lee nodded and answered simply, "Yes."

Reaching into the basket he carried, he lifted out the bottle of soy sauce and the jar of Sriracha and said, "And if we mix these….things… together, that's gonna taste good?"

Lee smiled and nodded as he said, "Yeah. Chief, just trust me on this, please. Your mom and I eat this all the time."

"And you've made this before?" Jamie piped in.

"My friend Kiet taught me how to cook when I was in Bangkok for about six months working. I promise you, your mom is going to love it," Lee smiled at the boys again.

Philip pinched his face in disbelief but said, "I'll try a bite, but I'm not going to guarantee I'm going to like it."

After paying for their purchases, Lee then drove them to the butcher shop a few miles away where he picked up fresh chicken, ground pork, and a pound of ground beef. As a treat for the boys, he stopped in the bakery next door and let each of them pick out a cupcake. The last stop they made was the farmers market to pick up the remaining ingredients of fresh fruit and vegetables.

At the house, Lee pulled out the wok and put it on the stove. After instructing Philip on how to chop and dice the vegetables, Lee and Jamie worked on the marinade for the chicken. Thirty minutes later, all the prep work was done, the chicken was marinating and the dry noodles were soaking in hot water.

Lee told the boys they had about thirty minutes to work on homework before they needed to start cooking. Not surprisingly, Jamie grabbed his backpack and spread out his homework on the table while Philip sprawled himself on the couch, pretending to read his history book. Wiping his hands on a dish towel, Lee sat on the edge of the couch and asked Philip, "What are you working on?"

Philip groaned a little before answering, "We are studying the Civil War and the First Battle of Bull Run. Bor-ing."

"History is definitely not boring, especially military history," Lee stated.

"I don't think so. What I don't get is why if the Union knew they were outnumbered, why'd they fight back? Why didn't they just give up and go home?" Philip asked.

"Well, because foot soldiers don't question their orders, they just do it. You know when I was a boy, my uncle, the Colonel used to say it wasn't our war to question why," Lee explained.

"I don't get it," Philip stated.

"Well, what he means is sometimes we just have to follow orders, do what we're told, and not question why. You may understand after you spend some time around him," Lee laughed.

"Will we get to meet him? Before you and mom get married I mean. I think it might be kind of weird meeting him at the wedding," Jamie called from the table.

Lee looked from one boy to the other and said, "I think we can arrange that. I had breakfast with him this morning. Why don't I see if we can have dinner with him one night this week," Lee suggested. Checking his watch, Lee declared it was time to start cooking again. "Your mom and Grandma should be home soon. We can have everything ready and waiting for them. Now, who wants to help with the grill?"

"Lee, please tell me you are not going to allow my grandsons to cook on the grill by themselves," Dotty questioned as she and Amanda walked in the back door carrying garment bags.

"Oh, Mother, I'm sure Lee wouldn't let them do that, now would you, Sweetheart," Amanda looked at him, eyes wide.

"No, not at all, Dotty. I suggested helping with the grill. Dinner will be ready shortly," Lee said as he stepped purposefully into the kitchen to start heating up the wok.

"I'll help with the grill, Junior and wok it up," Philip joked.

"I'll light it for you, how's that sound?" Amanda suggested as she ruffled Philip's hair.

"Sounds like Mom's gonna help cook, too," Philip laughed.

"Well, if Amanda's helping, what can I do?" Dotty surveyed the room, unsure of what was needed.

Looking around Lee began to give orders, "Amanda and Philip, there is a plate of non-Thai patties and a bowl of marinated chicken in the fridge. Those need to be grilled. Jamie, why don't you come over here and help me with the pad ki mao and Dotty, would you mind setting the table?"

In twenty short minutes, they were all sitting down to eat dinner. Even Dotty was impressed how everyone pitched in with no arguing. Surveying the plates before her, she eyed her grandsons' faces. Very carefully, Philip and Jamie placed small servings on their plate in an effort to at least try what they had made. Amanda looked at the patties and whispered to Lee, "Why the patties?"

Lee smiled and whispered back, "I can't let them go hungry. It's my back up plan."

With a few tentative bites, Philip admitted he liked the thai satay chicken and scallion pancakes but that was as far as he would venture. Jamie agreed, but did say the pad ki mao wasn't as bad as Philip's casserole surprise. Standing and getting a couple of hamburger rolls, Lee handed them to the boys and was rewarded with big smiles and a chorus of thanks.

Amanda reached for Lee's hand across the table and squeezed it tightly, smiling. Dotty watched the entire exchange then declared, "Lee, I don't know how you do it, but you've made another delicious dinner. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would try something like this but now… well, now I know what Amanda sees in you… variety is the spice of life, is it not?"


	18. Chapter 18

Philip and Jamie offered to clear the table after everyone declared dinner a success, much to Amanda's surprise. Before she could thank them, the phone rang. "I'll get it," she said, smiling as she moved toward the sound of the ringing. "Hello? Yes? Really? You're sure? Ok, we're on our way." Turning toward the family, she said, "Lee, that was the… location crew… we have a problem."

"Do they need us?" Lee asked casually.

"Unfortunately, yes. There's a problem with the location we were checking out for our documentary next week. Mother? Do you mind?" Amanda turned to Dotty.

"No, darling, I'll clean up while the boys do their homework. Don't you worry," Dotty patted her arm. "Will you be gone long?"

Amanda shook her head, "I'm not sure. Hopefully this is nothing but if we're going to be late, I'll call."

"Be careful," Dotty called after them, smiling.

As they drove out of Amanda's neighborhood, Lee asked, "So what's going on?"

"Surveillance picked up on a phone call. Noves made a call out to schedule a meet. He wasn't on long enough for them to trace the call. He managed to get out of his apartment without being seen," Amanda explained.

Lee pressed his lips together. He didn't like this turn of events. Noves was just supposed to be a simple security review, but once again, Amanda's intuition proved on the money, only they still didn't know what he was into. "So where is he now?" he asked.

"Noves was finally spotted heading toward the Washington Navy Yard," Amanda explained. "We need to meet the team at South Capitol and M Street. They've called in another team to continue following as we are updated."

They arrived at Saint Vincent de Paul Church on the corner of M Street where the first surveillance team was waiting. After a brief update, Lee and Amanda drove down First Street toward the Water and Sewage Authority pumping station where Noves was last spotted in the parking lot. Driving in slowly, Lee stopped when he saw the second team flagging him down.

"What's going on? Where's Noves?" he demanded.

"We lost him. He got out of his car there," he pointed toward a car parked near the street, "stopped at another sedan to talk to someone but before we could catch up to him, he disappeared," Agent Powers explained.

"And you didn't see which way he went?" Lee questioned.

"No, sir, a couple of tractor trailers blocked our view for over a minute. By the time we got by it, both he and the other car were gone," Agent Powers shook his head.

"You didn't see which way the other car went? Or who was driving?" Amanda asked.

"No, Mrs. King. The trucks were pulling in for deliveries, heading that way," Agent Ferrini pointed toward the building where several trucks were idling loudly.

"Did you talk to the drivers?" Lee asked, knowing it probably would be a dead end.

"Yeah, they were watching the line, not the parking lot," the agent replied.

"Well, we might as well see if we can figure out why he came here in the first place. If his car's still here, he couldn't have gotten too far. Let's look around a bit," Lee decided as he climbed out of the car, Amanda following. "Where did you say you saw him last?"

Agent Powers pointed to an area to their left, away from the main parking area where the lighting was limited and several tractor trailers were parked.

"Ok, Mrs. King and I will check out over there, you guys see what you can find near the street. Maybe he dropped something or maybe one of the cameras on those buildings caught the other car," Lee said.

"Will do, Scarecrow," Agent Powers answered as he and Agent Ferrini jogged across the street.

Lee and Amanda walked toward the corner of the parking lot where the tractor trailers were parked. Walking along the edge of the lot, Lee was scanning the area for anything out of place while Amanda scanned the ground. They had only covered half the distance when without warning, a car came speeding toward them and a hail of gunfire surrounded them.

"Amanda, watch out!" Lee yelled as he dove for cover behind a parking barrier wall, taking her with him. Instinctively, he pulled his gun from his hip holster. He stopped moving long enough to ask, "Are you all right?" and as soon as Amanda nodded, Lee climbed over the barrier and took off running toward the car now speeding away down the street. Agents Powers and Ferrini were running toward him, hearing the gunfire. "Did you see anything? The plate?" Lee called to them. Both men shook their heads no. "Damn!" Lee yelled. Remembering Amanda was still in the parking lot, he ran back calling her name, "Amanda?!"

"I'm here! Did you see the car?" she asked as she popped up from behind the barrier, brushing dirt off her jeans.

"No. Do you think that was Noves?" Lee asked looking around the parking lot.

"I don't know, I didn't see anything. I was looking at the trucks then all I could see were the headlights and then I heard the gunfire," Amanda explained.

"Well, let's see if there's any clues here," Lee started looking around. He found a few shell casings on the ground but nothing else.

Amanda had wandered closer to the trucks when she called out, "Lee? I think I found something you should see."

"What is it?" Lee called as he walked over to where she was standing.

Amanda was standing between two trucks and as Lee approached she pointed behind her and said, "Over there."

"Amanda, what's over the…." Lee began but stopped when he saw a pair of legs sticking out from under one of the trailers. Moving closer, he leaned down for a better look. Lee could see it was a man laying face down. Feeling his neck for a pulse, Lee shook his head. Patting the man's pockets, he found his wallet and pulled it out, looking for a license. "It's Noves, he's dead."

Amanda shook her head and said quietly, ""Well, we know who wasn't shooting at us. "

Lee looked at Amanda, his tone becoming serious, "Then who was?"

Calling over Powers and Ferrini to see Noves' body, Lee ran back to his car to call in a full forensic team and to call Billy. Once the team arrived, Lee and Amanda signed off to Powers and Ferrini to oversee the rest of the investigation for the evening.

Driving back to Amanda's house, it was just before 11 o'clock when they pulled into the driveway. They sat for a few minutes silently before Amanda said, "I hope you were planning on staying tonight. The boys will be disappointed if you're not here in the morning."

"Oh they will, will they? And what about you, Mrs. Stetson? Will you be disappointed?" Lee teased her with a small smile.

"Well, I know it's only going to be for a few more weeks but I'm not going to deny the fact that I like waking up beside my husband," Amanda rubbed his arms lightly.

"So let's go get some sleep," Lee said before kissing her gently.

Hand in hand, they walked to the back door, neither noticing the small sedan that drove slowly down the street and around the corner.


	19. Chapter 19

Inside the house, Amanda found a note from Dotty thanking Lee again for dinner. The lights were off and the house was silent, a good indication everyone was asleep. Checking the locks on all the doors, Lee gestured toward the stairs. Together they quietly moved down the hall. Amanda stopped at Dotty's door, and knocked. When she peeked inside, Dotty was sound asleep, snoring lightly. Closing the door, she moved to the boys room where Lee had already slipped silently inside, moving Jamie's glasses and the book he was reading onto his nightstand and picking up the magazine Philip had been flipping through. Smiling, Amanda leaned on the door frame, just watching. Lee put his arm around her waist, kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "Ready?"

Amanda turned to follow him, closing the boys' door completely before crossing the short distance to her bedroom. Once she was in the room, Lee closed the door, quickly sweeping her into his arms, surprising her. Kissing her slowly, Lee held her close. Amanda relaxed into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Lee began showering her chin and neck with kisses, stopping here and there to tease the sensitive skin along her neck. Amanda moaned in satisfaction, squeezing his butt with her hands,urging him to continue. "Manda…. Before we go any further… I didn't bring any…" Lee whispered between kisses.

"We have one left. In the drawer," Amanda said softly as she brought her hands up his chest and began unbuttoning his shirt. That was all the encouragement he needed as he roughly pulled her shirt out of her pants and over her head. Following his lead, Amanda yanked Lee's shirt off his shoulders, and tossed it in the direction of the laundry. She stepped back and fumbled with her own button and zipper before pulling her jeans off, kicking them into the same direction. Lee swiftly removed his own pants as well before pulling her close once more.

The adrenal energy from the evening collided with their passion for each other. The usual soft, gentle kisses were replaced with rough, passion-filled ones. Amanda gently bit Lee's bottom lip as he removed her bra and cupped her breast in his hand, pinching her taut nipple between his fingertips. In turn, Lee gripped her butt cheek, pulling her close to grind his hips against her, his erection hard and hot, even through the thin material of his boxer shorts.

Sliding her hands into his boxers, Amanda pushed them down as she slid down to kneel in front of him. Taking him in her hands, she stroked and teased his swollen head before covering it with her mouth. Lee inhaled sharply, burying his hands in her hair, fighting the urge to thrust his hips forward. "Manda…. Manda, if you keep that up, this is going to be over before it even starts," Lee groaned.

Giving him one last squeeze, Lee pulled her onto her feet, capturing her mouth with his again. He backed her up against the wall with a soft thud as he assaulted her with hot, wet kisses across her bare shoulder, down between her clavicles, stopping to taste the skin in the hollow at the base of her throat with his tongue. Amanda dropped her head back, her voice husky, and moaned, "Oh gosh."

Lee's hands were moving continuously across her body, his lips following their path. He only stopped for a moment to tease her breasts, her chest rising and falling rapidly in anticipation of what was coming next. Dropping to his knees, he pulled her panties down roughly, showering her flat stomach with kisses, paying close attention to a fresh bruise that was forming on her hip from their encounter earlier that evening.

Looping his arm under one leg, Lee ran his cheek across the soft skin of her inner thigh before clamping his lips around the sensitive bundle of nerves at her core. Amanda's knees nearly buckled as he teased her wet folds with his tongue. Slipping two fingers inside her hot sheath, he alternated between stroking and suckling until he felt her body begin to shake, her breath nothing more than short gasps and her cries soft and husky.

When she began to slide down the wall into his arms, Lee easily lifted her and carried her to the bed where he stretched out over her. He stopped only long enough to get the condom out of the drawer and slip it on. Before her breathing evened off, Lee buried himself to the hilt in her depths, holding Amanda close. He began to move, long, hard strokes, quickly pushing Amanda toward another orgasm. She wrapped her legs around his, tilted her hips and as she rocked into his thrusts, alternating between moaning "Lee" and "Oh gosh". Unconsciously she dug her nails into his back as the shocking contractions took over, drawing long scratches as she held on. Lee arched into her hands, pumping his hips, as he exploded, gasping "Manda" as he collapsed in her arms.

They stayed entwined, their heavy breathing the only sound in the room, until Lee rolled to his side, catching the condom as it slid off. Taking a tissue, he wrapped it up before tossing it into the trash beside Amanda's bed. Reaching down, he pulled the bed covers over them, pulling Amanda to his chest. Amanda curled against him, her hand moving in gentle circles over the sweat glistened skin of his chest. Brushing her damp hair off her face, Lee kissed her forehead softly as he said, "If I haven't said it today… I love you."

"I know, Sweetheart, I love you, too," Amanda replied as she closed her eyes and fell into a contented sleep. Smiling, Lee closed his eyes and settled down, his arms around her.

They were both asleep when Dotty knocked lightly on the door. She opened it just a little and whispered, "Amanda? Did you hear that thud a few minutes ago?" Not getting a response, she opened the door a little more and peeked inside. The first thing she saw in the dim light from the hall were the clothes scattered across the floor. Smiling, she leaned inside the room enough to twist the lock on the door knob. She closed the door behind her, but not before casting a sideways glance at the two lovers, wrapped in each others arms, fast asleep. Shaking her head as she walked back toward her bedroom, Dotty whispered to herself, "An eleven, indeed."


	20. Chapter 20

Wednesday morning found Lee and Amanda in Billy's office bright and early. "And you're sure you don't know who Noves was working with?" Billy asked.

"No, sir. The surveillance team only heard his side of the conversation, and it was too short for them to trace it," Amanda explained. "I didn't find anything in my background check that said he had any contacts here in DC."

"Did the search in his apartment turn up anything?" Billy questioned as he sat back in his chair.

"Not yet, we're still waiting for the team to finish processing," Lee answered.

"Well, keep me informed. We need to know who Noves was working with and find out who was shooting at you," Billy stated.

"Yes, Sir, I'll go check in with the team now," Amanda said as she stood to leave the room.

"Scarecrow, I need a minute," Billy stated as Lee began to open the door.

"Amanda, I'll meet you upstairs," Lee held the door for her as she walked past him, an eyebrow raised. Closing the door, Lee turned back to Billy, "What's up?"

"Acquisitions called me late yesterday," Billy stated simply as he sipped his coffee.

"And? Is there a problem with the house?" Lee asked, feeling slightly panicked.

"No, no problem," Billy answered slowly.

Lee narrowed his eyes to look at his friend, and asked,"And?"

Billy smiled slowly as he said, "The house is yours. None of the other offers had the down payment you had which almost guarantees financing."

"About that…" Lee began.

"About the down payment? Is there a problem with it?" Billy asked wondering if Lee was talking about the mysterious check Amanda had mentioned.

Smiling, Lee leaned forward onto his hands on Billy's desk and said, "We have a bigger check. My uncle…. Well… he called it a wedding present or my inheritance."

Billy looked surprised as he asked, "And how much bigger are we talking here?"

Lee's smile was so big, his dimples deep as he started to say,"Fifty…"

Before he could finish, the office door flew open as Francine burst into the room, Edwards hot on her heels. When she stopped short, he bumped into her, receiving a glare from Francine that could have melted ice.

"Hold that thought, Scarecrow, I've got something that's going to blow this case wide open," Francine stated.

"What have you got, Francine?" Billy questioned, his tone slipping into an authoritative tone.

"Well, we cross checked the phone log from Veronica Tucker and Noves and you're never going to believe this. Guess who Noves called last night?" Francine informed the group.

"Veronica called Noves? But what's the connection?" Lee was dumbfounded.

"I'm not sure yet but we're gonna find out. Edwards and I are heading over to The Round Robin in about an hour. According to Veronica's supervisor, she is scheduled to work the lunch shift today and tomorrow. She hasn't seen Edwards yet so we can put him out there, see what he can hear. Senator Michaels' party is only a few more days away," Francine explained.

"You really think she's meeting her contact at work?" Billy questioned.

"Mr. Melrose, Sir, we've gone over every call she's made, and we found nothing there. It's the only logical explanation," Edwards interjected.

"Fine then, I want a full report this afternoon. Francine, what else did you find on Shchavesky?" Billy stated.

"Not much. He's been here for a few months working with the Defense Department on the proper dismantling and storage of the missiles. He's been helping them build a plan to take to the table for the treaty talks," Francine explained.

"I don't like this, I don't like this at all," Billy said firmly as he crossed his arms. "Scarecrow, you and Amanda head over and talk to Shchavesky, find out why Veronica might want to target him. Francine, you and Edwards be careful. Find out what you can but keep a low profile. Now go, people, go!"

"Yes, sir, going now. Come on, Edwards," Francine said moving quickly toward the door.

"Scarecrow, one more thing," Billy said once everyone else had left.

"Yeah, Billy?" Lee asked, turning back to lean into the office.

"Congratulations. I'm sure Amanda is going to be very happy about this," Billy grinned.

"So am I, Billy, so am I," Lee smiled as he closed the door behind him.

After getting Amanda from the Q Bureau, Lee drove to the hotel Francine listed in her notes on Shchavesky. Departing the elevator, they took a moment to orient themselves before moving down the hall. When they reached the room, the door was ajar and a television was blaring inside.

Knocking loudly, Lee called out, "Dr. Shchavesky?" Not hearing a reply, he tried again, "Dr. Shchavesky?" He looked at Amanda quizzically before pulling out his gun and pushing the door open fully. Amanda flattened herself against the wall until Lee gave her the all clear signal.

Inside the room, nothing appeared to be amiss. The room was empty as was the small adjacent bathroom. Looking around again, Amanda noticed the ice bucket was missing from the small table. Without saying a word, she pointed toward the table and then down the hall. Stepping back out into the hall, the pair saw a short, older gentleman whistling his way down the hall toward them. He stopped short when he saw Lee's gun, a flash of panic on his face. He turned to run but Amanda's voice stopped him.

"Dr. Shchavesky? We're federal agents and we're just here to ask you a few questions," she said sweetly.

Dr. Shchavesky visibly relaxed as a small smile appeared on his face. "Come, come inside for a cup of tea," he offered.

Lee placed his gun back in his shoulder holster before following the two into the room, closing the door behind them. Amanda sat in one of the chairs, Lee stood near the door.

"Dr. Shchavesky, I'm Amanda King and this is my partner, Lee Stetson. We work for the Agency," Amanda gestured toward Lee as she introduced him. "We understand you're here about the talks for the treaty. You're helping devise a plan for the proper dismantling and storage of the missiles, is that right?" Amanda asked, smiling, keeping her tone soft.

"Yes, for both your government and mine. You see, it could be very dangerous if these weapons are not stored properly. And, well, if they are dismantled and the parts ended up in the wrong hands…. Well, we don't even want to think about the consequences of that, now do we?" Dr. Shchavesky asked.

"No, no we don't," Lee answered. "Dr. Shchavesky, have you been threatened since you've been here?"

"Threatened? What do you mean by threatened?" Dr. Shchavesky asked, a hint of panic in his voice.

"Has anyone contacted you, told you something bad would happen if you continued to help the Defense Department?" Amanda offered.

"No. Well, yes but no," Dr. Shchavesky stated. "I did get a call, two days ago. A woman told me Mother Russia was calling me home and then she hung up. I thought it was a prank, you know, a joke."

"Did this woman have a clipped English accent?" Lee demanded.

"Accent? Here, everyone has an accent to me," Dr. Shchavesky shrugged his shoulders.

"And you haven't heard from her again? No other strange phone calls?" Amanda asked, her tone soft again.

"No, no others," he answered. Checking his watch, he declared, "Look at the time, it's almost lunchtime. I was just heading down the street to a bar that serves the most delicious sandwiches. Would you like to join me?"

Amanda smiled and put her hand on Dr. Shchavesky's arm, "Thank you for the offer but we really must get going. Maybe we can take a rain check on that lunch. Which bar is it?"

"It's called The Red Robin. It's in that hotel…. The Willard, I think is the name of it. They make the most delicious Reuben sandwich on rye bread. I wish we could get sandwiches like that back in Moscow," Dr. Shchavesky answered lightly.

Amanda looked at Lee, an eyebrow raised in alarm immediately. "Dr. Shchavesky, have you eaten there a lot since you've been here?" she asked.

Laughing, he replied, "Don't tell my wife, but almost every day. I can't resist."

Lee gestured toward the door, "Amanda, we should get going. We need to talk to Ms. Desmond about that meeting she has today. Dr. Shchavesky, it was very nice meeting you. If you have any problems or if anyone else calls you, will you contact us?" Lee handed him a business card. "We can be reached at that number. Just ask for Lee Stetson or Amanda King, please."

Taking the card, Dr. Shchavesky shook Lee's hand. "I will. Should I be concerned? Am I in trouble?" he asked, his voice shaking just a bit.

Amanda put her hand on Dr. Shchavesky's shoulder once more and said, "Just call us if anything strange happens. Please. Have a good day. Enjoy your lunch."


	21. Chapter 21

Lee and Amanda raced to the Vette to try to intercept Francine and Edwards. Dialing the switchboard number, Lee ticked off his Agent code and call numbers for an emergency patch to Francine's handheld. The operator informed them, "Francine Desmond is not responding to the page."

"Damn!" Lee swore as he hung up the phone. Looking over at the worried look on Amanda's face, he knew the only option they had was to drive over to the hotel and hope they could intercept Francine and Edwards. Without explanation, he said, "Come on."

The Willard Hotel was only a few blocks away but with the lunch time traffic it took them almost 20 minutes to travel the relatively short distance. Amanda cringed as Lee slammed his hand on the steering wheel multiple times as he cursed every driver in the city. They pulled into the underground parking garage where Lee luckily found a parking spot on the first level. Once out of the car, Lee instinctively reached for Amanda's hand as they moved toward the staircase.

Stopping, Lee shook his head and said, "Amanda, hold up for second. We need to think about this. We know Edwards should be in place by now but I'm not sure where Francine is going to be. Now Veronica still thinks you are part of Senator Michaels' security team so she might not think anything of it if she sees you in there. I'll try to cut through the kitchen, see how well I can stay hidden. She's going to know me immediately and we can't spook her."

Amanda nodded, "Okay, do you want me to make contact with Edwards or just watch?"

Running his hand through his hair, Lee thought for a moment before saying, "I can't believe I'm going to suggest this, but see if you can get Edwards to buy you a drink. That way you can be close to him."

Amanda nodded in affirmation, "Okay, and what are you going to do?"

"First I'm going to try to find Francine without Veronica seeing me. Then we need to keep an eye on Shchavesky without him seeing us," Lee stated.

"What do we tell Shchavesky if he does see us?" Amanda questioned, going over the possibility in her head.

"Pretend you don't know him. He's smart, he may take the hint," Lee suggested.

"And Veronica?" Amanda asked hesitantly.

"You don't worry about Veronica. I'll watch your back on this one. I don't think she'll do anything here. Too many witnesses," Lee pursed his lips.

'All right then, let's go," Amanda said as she took his hand.

Outside the bar entrance, Amanda scanned the area looking for Francine and Edwards. She found him sitting at the end of the bar, nursing a drink but couldn't find Francine anywhere. Lee pointed toward a hall marked employees only. Nodding in response, they separated, Amanda slowly opening the door as Lee quickly moved down the hall. Taking a deep breath, she wove her way through the tables and sat a few seats away from Edwards at the bar. There were only a few other patrons sitting at the bar, most of them at the tables.

Looking up, she made eye contact with him and with a slight shake of her head, barely noticeable by anyone around them, hoping Edwards saw it. Smiling at him, she said, "What kind of a drink is that? I've never seen one with… is that mint?"

Edwards looked down at his glass then lifting it, tipped it toward her in a friendly gesture, said politely, "It's a mojito. You've never had one?"

"No, I'm a wine girl, I would have to say," Amanda answered as she made an attempt to get the bartender's attention.

"Here, I've got this. Bartender, a glass of…" Edwards called loudly to the gentleman tending bar.

"White wine, please," Amanda smiled.

"A glass of white wine for the beautiful lady," Edwards finished.

Blushing, Amanda thanked him. Moving over two seats to cover the distance between them, Edwards pulled the bar stool close to her. The bartender slid the glass in front of her, which she picked up and sipped. "Are you staying at the hotel here?" Edwards asked, keeping in character.

Looking around the room, Amanda still didn't see Francine, Lee or Veronica so she continued the conversation. "No, just stopping in. A friend of mine mentioned he has lunch here almost every day. I was hoping to catch him. He's a scientist," she said, hoping Edwards understood.

"A scientist? Really? That's fascinating," he replied, as he moved closer, dropping his hand on her arm.

Amanda became uncomfortable with his close presence but knew she had to stay in cover. "Are you here alone?" she asked. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Veronica stepping behind the opposite end of the bar. Turning her body, she faced Edwards completely, her back to Veronica. Leaning her head to the side, she bounced it twice before straightening it up again, trying to indicate she had spotted Veronica. What she didn't expect was Edwards to lean very close to her ear, so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheek.

"Francine's using the phone around the corner, near the kitchen door," he whispered. As he leaned back, Amanda laughed, hoping anyone watching would think nothing of their exchange.

Now that her back was to the door, Amanda didn't see Dr. Shchavesky enter and sit a table near the front windows so he could watch the foot traffic. Edwards leaned close again and whispered, "Dr. Shchavesky, is he a small older man? If so, he just entered and is sitting near the windows. Veronica is watching him."

Laughing again, Amanda glanced to her left and confirmed it was the scientist. "Oh really, yes, that's the one," she said lightly, nodding.

"Can I get you another drink?" Veronica asked Edwards as she made her way down the patrons sitting at the bar. Realizing Veronica must not have seen her face yet, Amanda pretended to sneeze, covering her face, letting her hair block Veronica's view.

"Bless you. No, thank you, I'm fine for now," Edwards said, addressing both women. As Veronica moved away, Edwards reached for a napkin for Amanda. "Better now?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you. I think I need to make a trip to the powder room," Amanda stood, trying to stay hidden from both Veronica and Dr. Shchavesky. She crossed the room quickly, hoping Lee had found his way through the kitchen. She found Francine in the hall, hanging up the phone.

"Amanda? What are you doing here?" Francine asked sounding very confused.

"Dr. Shchavesky is here. He's been having lunch here quite a bit he said. Lee's hiding somewhere in the kitchen I think and Edwards is at the bar. Veronica just got here. I don't think she noticed me but I can't be sure," Amanda explained quickly. She walked over to the kitchen door to peer through the circular window, looking for Lee. She could see him in an animated conversation with one of the chef's, waving his badge out for the chef to see. "I think Lee's got trouble," she said.

Francine looked in the window beside her, pursed her lips then said, "I'll take care of getting Lee out of here and you see what you can do with Edwards."

"Meet you at Lee's car in the parking garage?" Amanda asked.

Francine nodded as she pushed open the kitchen door and began yelling, "Gentlemen, we have a situation and we need your cooperation."

Amanda walked back toward the bar, glancing over at Dr. Shchavesky who was now happily eating his sandwich, watching out the window. As she rounded the corner, she could see Edwards talking to Veronica and almost cringed when Veronica lifted her head and made full eye contact. Edwards was close enough to hear Veronica curse under her breath and knew at that moment, Veronica knew she was from the Agency. Trying to keep her distracted, Edwards said, "So is being a bartender all it's cracked up to be or do you have to deal with annoying customers too much?"

Veronica couldn't help but snap, "You mean like you? Excuse me." Quickly she moved around the bar toward the kitchen door as Amanda crossed toward the bar. As Amanda turned back to follow her, she bumped into a waiter carrying a large tray, knocking everything down.

Inside the kitchen, Lee spotted Veronica immediately when the door opened. "Francine!" he yelled, trying to move around the chef that was still arguing with him over why he couldn't be there.

Francine turned to see Veronica quickly weaving her way down the line of prep cooks and sous-chefs. "Scarecrow!" she yelled back, raising her hand to indicate which direction Veronica had gone.

Pulling out his gun, Lee began running down the line to follow her, colliding with a prep cook carrying a pot of marinara, effectively coating Lee's shirt with the red sauce and stopping his ability to follow Veronica. "Damn!" he cursed as he watched her slip out the back door.

Not giving up, Francine kept running, trying to catch up with the woman but by the time she reached the door, Veronica was nowhere to be seen.


	22. Chapter 22

Lee finally managed to separate himself from the prep cook and followed Francine into the hall. S he could have ran in almost any direction, so they moved toward the back of the building and the most logical option, the employee entrance. Still not seeing her, they continued toward the parking garage, the most logical place for her to have gone. In the garage, Lee finally stopped running, knowing it was probably fruitless to continue. Looking around, he threw his hands up, defeated.

Francine grimaced at the stain covering the entire front of Lee's shirt. "We should head back, you're going to want to change. I'm pretty sure, that's never going to come out," she gestured toward his shirt.

Pulling his shirt out of his pants, Lee held the damp material away from his body. "You'd be surprised what my dry cleaner can get out," he commented.

"Oh, not Amanda? I would have thought she was doing your laundry these days," Francine teased.

"She does some of my laundry but not all of it," Lee remarked as they walked. They had exited on the the second level of the garage so finding the closest set of stairs, they climbed up one level where Lee's car waited. They didn't see Amanda or Edwards just yet so Lee unlocked the back and pulled a clean t-shirt out of a bag he had in the trunk. Looking around, Lee stripped off the stained shirt, tossing it into the trunk. He was just beginning to pull the t-shirt on when Francine snapped at him.

"Scarecrow, you should be ashamed of yourself!" she stated.

"What? For changing my shirt?" Lee answered, confused.

"You know what! I can't believe you,. I can't believe you'd do that… especially to Amanda," Francine said again, leaning against the back of his car.

Tugging the shirt down, Lee crossed his arms and looked at his friend. "Francine, what are you talking about?" he questioned.

"Your back is covered in scratches and you're going to question me? That's low, Scarecrow, even for you," Francine answered, her voice filled with venom.

"My back… oh… yeah…. I didn't realize that happened," Lee answered, a grin slowly spreading across his face as the memory of he and Amanda making love flooded his mind. He had only vaguely felt her scratching him at the time, not giving it a second thought.

"Really? And was she aware of it?" Francine seethed.

"At the time, no, probably not. I don't think either one of us was thinking about that, to be honest," Lee shrugged his shoulders.

"And who is this… this…. tiger or vixen or whatever else you want to call her? And how do you think you're going to explain that to Amanda?" Francine was getting angrier the more she thought Lee was cheating on Amanda.

"Explain… who… wait, you think… you think I cheated on Amanda and someone else gave these scratches to me?" Lee said incredulous.

Francine looked at him shocked. "You didn't? How else do you explain…" Francine began but Lee cut her, laughing wholeheartedly.

"Francine, do you remember a few years ago when I made a comment about the stamina and the generosity of the American housewife? Well, it turns out, I wasn't so far off the mark," Lee said between laughs.

Eyeing him, Francine replied, "You're disgusting. Typical man. Cheat on your significant other and try to pawn the whole thing off… well I have news for you… when Amanda finds out…"

"When Amanda finds out what, Francine?" Amanda said as she and Edwards approached the car. Amanda could tell by the look on Francine's face she was angry.

"Amanda, um… that we lost Veronica... " Francine said sweetly. "Lost her when the prep cook dumped a pot of marinara on Lee's shirt." To prove her point, Francine pulled the stained shirt out of the trunk to show Amanda. "I'm sure even you couldn't remove that stain," she rushed out.

Taking the shirt from Francine, Amanda said, "Well, if we wet it, then rub some detergent in right away we might be okay. If that doesn't work, there's the ice and vinegar trick."

"Ice and vinegar?" Edwards interjected, feeling somewhat left out and confused.

Amanda had forgotten he was there. Turning to him, she began to explain, "Yes, it's an old trick my Aunt Lillian used to use. She is a wonderful cook but she's a messy cook and every time she makes sauce she manages to get more on her than in the pot, my mother used to say. Anyway… if you can't get the stain out with just water and detergent, you can rub the stain with ice, then soak it with vinegar on a clean cloth. Wash it again, and voila, no more stain. Although we might want to just soak this whole shirt in vinegar. Lee, are you alright? You didn't get burned by the sauce did you?"

"No, no, I didn't get burned. It wasn't hot, but I need to talk to you for a minute. Privately, if you wouldn't mind," Lee said, staring at Francine and Edwards.

Francine stared at Lee, anger burning in her eyes. Snapping at Edwards she said, "Let's go. We need to write up a report for this and get a surveillance team on her now." Turning abruptly, she marched back toward the stairs, Edwards following like a lost puppy.

"What was that all about?" Amanda asked when the stairwell door slammed behind them.

Lee laughed lightly as he turned to her and said, "You may have gotten a little carried away last night."

Amanda's eyes widened as her mouth fell open as she said, "Me? Get carried away? With what?" Instead of replying, Lee turned around and pulled his shirt up, the scratches she had given him on full display. Reaching out to touch him gently, she said softly, "Oh."

Turning back to face her, dropping his shirt down again, Lee commented, "Francine thinks I got them from someone else."

"You mean she thinks you…" Amanda began.

"Cheated on you, yes," Lee finished for her as he shrugged on the lightweight jacket he had in the car.

"Why would she think that? She knows we're getting married in a few weeks," Amanda questioned.

"But she also doesn't believe you're capable of something like that either. So her obvious conclusion is, someone else gave them to me. Now if she only knew the truth of how… passionate… you can really be..." Lee said causing Amanda to blush. Putting his arms around her, he drew her to him.

"I'll talk to her… you know… woman to woman. In the meantime, we need to figure out what to do about Dr. Shchavesky. You know I don't think he has any idea someone might be after him," Amanda stated.

"Don't worry, we'll get a team on him," Lee said reassuringly. "Right now, we need to figure out where Veronica is headed."

"And Francine and I need to have a little talk," Amanda said as she released him, climbing into the front seat of the Vette.


	23. Chapter 23

In the Q Bureau, the four agents, along with Billy were regrouping over the morning's events. "Where is Dr. Shchavesky now?" Billy asked.

"On his way to the Defense Department. We've got a team on him now for good measure," Lee answered as he paced the office.

"I'm not sure he knows she's after him. He was awfully surprised when we asked him if anyone had contacted him," Amanda stated. She was sitting at her desk, jotting notes down.

"Well, Veronica knows we're on to her now for sure. She hasn't been back to the hotel or her house. We have an APB out on her car, which by the way, Scarecrow, sounds like the same car that shot at you and Amanda last night," Francine informed them.

Edwards looked from one agent to the other, listening before saying, "Can I ask a question?"

Billy turned to the young agent, "Of course, Mr. Edwards. Go ahead"

"So we think Veronica Tucker wants to kidnap Dr. Shchavesky, right? And we're pretty sure she was working with Manuel Noves and she's in contact with someone named Poda in Boston. And we also know she is planning on flying to Boston tomorrow afternoon," Edwards ticked off the facts.

"Yes, on all accounts. What are you getting at?" Lee snapped, sounding annoyed.

"Well, why don't we lure her out by giving her what she wants. If she wants, Dr. Shchavesky, let's give him to her," the young agent suggested.

"And how exactly do you think we should do that?" Francine asked, trying to figure out where he was going with his idea.

"I don't think she knows I'm Agency. She brushed me off mostly so I really don't think she knows. What if we give the appearance that Dr. Shchavesky isn't being protected, let him go on about his routine, have him wired, for a day or two. See if leaving him out there draws her out," Edwards suggested.

"And where do you come into play in all of this?" Lee asked, going back to his first statement.

"Well, I could follow him around closer than any of you when he's out. Maybe get a room in the hotel across from him to be close," Edwards suggested.

Francine glared at him for a minute before saying, "I hate to say this, but Edwards is right. He is the only one that can be that close to Shchavesky without raising suspicion. She definitely knows we're onto her."

"So, first plan, stay close to Shchavesky. Now, how are we going to draw Veronica out? Think people," Billy stated.

"I don't think we have to," Amanda said as she tapped her pencil on the notepad in front of her.

Lee stopped pacing to look at her, "You know what, I think Amanda's right. We don't have to draw her out because she's already tracked Shchavesky. She knows where he goes for lunch everyday. If she thinks he's not protected, she could easily grab him. So if we station a few teams along the route Dr. Shchavesky takes when he walks…."

"We can easily grab both him and her. Great plan, everyone. Let's get this in motion. Edwards, you come with me. Scarecrow, you may want to go take a shower, you smell like Jeannie's sister's house on Sundays. Lasagna's good but not when you wear it," Billy laughed his way out of the office.

Glancing down at this clothes, Lee saw splatters on his pants he hadn't noticed before and shook his head.

Knowing she needed to talk to Francine, Amanda made a decision, "Lee, why don't you head home and shower, I'll stay here with Francine to plan out the station points for the teams along Dr. Shchavesky's route."

"Amanda, I don't think we need to…" Francine began sounding very annoyed.

"No, Francine, we do need to go over this. Now," Amanda stated firmly using the tone she would use with her boys.

"Ok, I'll head over to my apartment, shower and come right back here," Lee replied as he grabbed his keys. "Shouldn't be more than an hour," he said as he glanced over at Amanda.

"An hour's fine," Amanda replied but then turned to Francine and said coolly, "We need to talk." In her mind she was mulling over what she was going to say to Francine. Once Lee closed the door, Amanda took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

Sitting at Lee's desk, Francine lifted her eyebrow and replied, "About what? We can figure out this route pretty quick if we just go down there, mark off all the vantage points…"

"We need to talk about Lee's back… or rather, what you saw on Lee's back," Amanda stated, looking down at her notepad, unable to make eye contact. She was a little embarrassed she even needed to explain herself, especially to Francine.

"Oh, that. Amanda, men are dogs. Always off and running on the next best thing, hoping to learn a few new tricks in the process…" Francine babbled uncharacteristically.

"Francine… I gave Lee those scratches… last night… things got a little…" Amanda explained, pausing when she found she couldn't find the right words.

"You? Amanda, please… you expect me to believe you got a little wild with Lee… I mean I know he's capable of that, but you? Really, I'm not a fool. You don't need to cover up for him," Francine said almost angrily.

"I'm telling you, Francine, it was me. After he had me against the wall, we moved to my bed and well…. Let's just say, I'm glad it was his back instead of waking up my family," Amanda said, raising an eyebrow, challenging Francine for another comeback.

"Well, well, well… against the wall, huh. I don't know if I'm shocked or impressed. Who would have thought… the housewife is a panther," Francine sat back in Lee's chair, crossing her arms as she spoke.

"Do you think you can keep this quiet, please? I really don't want something this private getting around," Amanda asked.

Francine laughed, "Yes, the image Mrs. King holds at the agency… good, wholesome… she'd never be involved in any kind of tawdry…."

"There is NOTHING tawdry about what Lee and I have," Amanda hissed.

"I didn't mean it like that, Amanda. Listen, I won't say anything. My lips are sealed," Francine laughed again.

"Good, because if it happens again, I may have to ask your advice on how to cover it up with make-up," Amanda laughed along with her. "Now, what are we going to do about Dr. Shchavesky?"

In the car, Lee was driving, heading toward his apartment when he spotted Veronica following him. Weaving in and out of traffic, he picked up his car phone and dialed the switchboard, requesting immediate connection to Billy's office.

"Scarecrow, what's going on?" he demanded.

"Veronica's following me. I don't know how she found me but I can't seem to shake her," Lee informed him.

"Where are you? I'll send Francine and Edwards for backup," Billy said as he grabbed a pen, Edwards lifting his head at the sound of his name.

"Right now I'm on Canal, heading southeast toward the Washington Canoe Club," Lee informed him, glancing in his rear view mirror to confirm she was still behind him.

"I'll have them there in ten minutes. Whatever you do, do not take on Veronica on your own, do you hear me, Scarecrow?" Billy commanded into the phone.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Just tell them to meet me at the club. I'll do my best to keep her going in circles until then. Hopefully she'll keep with me," Lee muttered, swerving between two more cars, Veronica following a few cars behind.

Hanging up the phone, Billy handed Edwards a piece of paper with Washington Canoe Club noted on it. "Get Francine and get there NOW. Scarecrow is on his way, Veronica in tow. I want her in cuffs and I want this over," Billy commanded, scaring Edwards.

"Yes, Mr. Melrose. Um… Where is Francine now?" he asked sheepishly.

"I don't know, man, find her!" Billy hollered.

Edwards ran from his office full speed toward the elevator. Just as he rounded the corner, he collided with Francine and Amanda. "Where's the fire?" Francine snapped at the young agent.

"Mr. Melrose… Scarecrow… Veronica…." he tried to catch his breath and talk at the same time.

"What about Lee?" Amanda asked, her voice immediately full of concern.

"Veronica is following him… Francine and I … backup…" he managed.

"Where? Where is Lee going?" Amanda demanded.

"Washington Canoe Club," Edwards straightened to his full height before he added, "Come on."


	24. Chapter 24

Lee drove toward the Canoe Club trying to stay within the speed limit to give Francine and Edwards time to arrive without losing Veronica on his tail. He intentionally continued onto M Street, knowing traffic would be heavier. As he waited to turn onto Wisconsin Avenue, he saw Francine fly past, Edwards and Amanda in the car with her. Stepping on the gas, he turned right on K Street, Veronica close behind. Picking up his phone, he called dispatch, patching into Francine's handheld.

"Francine, I'm right behind you. I'm going to try to stall her for a minute. Find cover. We need to end this," Lee commanded.

"You got it, Scarecrow," Francine responded with a nod. Speeding up, she covered the distance to the parking area, quickly finding a spot on the end where her car was partially hidden. Getting out, she motioned to an area behind some stacked canoes. "Amanda, you take cover there and stay out of sight. Edwards, over there, cover the entrance to the walking trail. I'll take across the street. Eyes open at all times," Francine instructed.

Amanda pulled a small handgun out of her purse, earning a low whistle from Edwards. "Beautiful and she can handle a weapon," he said. "Maybe next time we can have a drink under different circumstances."

Amanda reached out and touched his shoulder softly as she said, "Not unless you invite Lee to have that drink with us." Turning away, she suppressed a laugh as she moved to the area Francine pointed to. Francine was already in place, gun in hand watching the oncoming traffic. Edwards shook his head as he moved further down toward the walking path. He found a spot between the Key Bridge Boathouse and the old aqueduct tunnel where he could see Francine and the street in front of them.

Lee rolled into the parking area first, pulling the 'Vette into a spot in the middle where it would easily be seen. Scanning the area, he didn't see anyone so he purposefully walked across the street where Veronica spotted him as she drove. He barely made it across the street when she sped up, trying to hit him. He dropped to the ground, rolling to his right where a van blocked him. Pushing up onto his knees, he pulled his gun from his shoulder holster. He heard the screech of tires, then the clicking of footsteps on the pavement.

"Veronica, just give it up. We know what you're doing," Lee called out as he slowly rose to his feet, looking around for her.

"They still let you play, Stetson?" Veronica called back, her voice echoing off the concrete walls.

"Looks like you're playing again. Dr. Shchavesky another pawn to you? Why him?" Lee called out again as he moved toward the direction of her car.

"Why not? He's got a hidden agenda… he stole the plans for the Russian missiles and he's sharing them with the Defense Department. The KGB can't wait to get their hands on him. And he's going to be worth every penny," Veronica called out.

"Ok, so where did Noves fit? Why kill him?" Lee called again. As he crossed between two cars, a bullet ricocheted off the wall behind him. Ducking down, he stopped moving.

"Noves had the bank roll. His family sent him back with more money than he knew what to do with. I managed to talk him into helping me, told him I could double what he had. Bloody fool believed me, too!" Veronica yelled out as she moved in Lee's direction.

Lee scurried along the wall until he reached the end of the line of cars. Seeing a set of stairs, he started to climb, hugging the wall for protection. Francine was watching him, about 20 yards away. Amanda peeked over the stack of canoes, but she was unable to see anyone so she began moving toward the side of the building. She accidentally bumped into a canoe, a bullet shot in her direction.

"How'd you find Poda?" Lee called out, trying to keep her talking so they could surround her easily.

"He found me actually, at the bar, said he heard rumors about my abilities to move people," Veronica stated. She was moving closer to the stairs where Lee was hiding.

Edwards decided he needed a better angle to see what was going on and as he shifted his weight, he lost his balance on the gravel under his feet. Veronica immediately spun in his direction, firing two shots. Edwards pained response put a smile on her face. Thinking it was Lee, Veronica confidently walked across the parking area stopping only when she saw the crumpled man on the ground. "I see you brought friends. How nice? They can watch as I destroy you, like you tried to destroy me all those years ago," Veronica snapped.

Francine was the first to call out, "Edwards?"

"Hit," he groaned.

"Lots of friends, I see. Stetson, do you ever think about what you did to me?" Veronica said loudly as she moved away from Edwards toward her car. She spotted Lee's shadow and was moving closer.

"What I did to you? You deserved that and more. You used me for information," Lee called out from his perch on the stairs.

Veronica sneered as she said, "No, I used you for the sex. The information was a bonus." She took a few more steps forward, her eyes never leaving the spot Lee was hiding.

"Lee! Watch out!" Amanda yelled as she saw Veronica taking aim.

Veronica spun around at the sound of Amanda's voice and fired, the shot missing her by inches as she ducked behind a tree. At the same moment, Lee stepped out of his hiding spot and yelled, "Veronica, drop it! It's over!"

Francine moved into the street, her gun trained on Veronica. "You heard him, drop it," she said.

Veronica lifted her hands slightly as she turned slowly to face Lee, smiling. "Times have changed, Stetson. You used to be a loner and now you've got three partners. But the question is… which one of these ladies is your lover… you were always so good at keeping things close to home," she said.

Lee clenched his jaw, the muscle twitching wildly. "Put the gun down, Veronica!" he commanded, his gun trained on her.

Veronica ignored his command. She looked hard at Francine before saying, "Not this one. She's much too classy for you. But that other one… she hides… like a coward… not her. So I must be wrong. Except I'm never wrong."

Amanda stepped out from behind the tree, her gun focused on Veronica now. "They said drop it," she said firmly.

Veronica glanced in her direction before she began laughing. Without saying a word, she immediately spun in Amanda's direction.

The only sound heard was a pop and the whistling of a bullet through the air before the sickening wet slap as it made contact with its intended target.


	25. Chapter 25

Everyone watched as Veronica's body went limp and crumpled to the ground, a puddle of blood forming under her. Francine moved forward quickly to kick the gun out of her hand before reaching down to check for a pulse. Standing slowly, she shook her head, confirming what they all knew. Veronica Tucker was dead.

Amanda's hands were shaking as she dropped her gun and leaned against the tree. Fear washed over her as the reality of what just happened hit her. All she could do was stare at Veronica's lifeless body on the ground.

"Amanda!" Lee called as he watched the color drain from her face, his own fear settling in. He ran down the stairs, jumping off the last three steps toward her. He raced across the street and caught her before she collapsed, her whole body shaking. Holding her close, Lee rubbed her back and whispered to her, "Shh, it's ok, its over."

Francine glanced over at the couple before moving to check on Edwards, still laying on the ground behind them. "Edwards, how bad is it?"

Edwards had managed to push himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the building, his hand pressed tightly against his side. "She got me good, clipped my hip, I think. Not too bad if I don't move," he tried to joke but a harsh inhale of breathe told Francine he was in a lot of pain.

Crouching down, Francine moved his jacket aside to get a look at the blood stain on his side. "Pretty sure you're going to live but let's get an ambulance here for you," she said as she stood.

"Scarecrow, I'll call it in. Edwards is hit, but looks like he'll live," Francine called over to Lee who was still holding Amanda. She moved to Lee's car and lifted his phone, dialing the emergency number. "Eagle One, there is a bird in the nest. Agent down, suspect shot and expired," she stated, then continued, "Location, Washington Canoe Club, before the aqueduct….. Affirmative." Hanging up the phone, she watched Lee help Amanda to a standing position and walk toward the car. "ETA is approximately eight minutes. Think you can hold out that long," Francine said to Edwards.

"If they can make it in six, that would be better," he called back between clenched teeth.

Lee looked over at the young agent bracing himself on the ground and replied, "It gets easier the more times you get hit." His comment brought a strained laugh from Amanda. "You ok?" he asked her.

Amanda nodded, "Yes, I just… need to catch my breath I guess."

"Internal Affairs is going to have a field day with this. You ready for this?" Francine asked Lee and Amanda.

"We didn't do anything wrong. She was given multiple warnings and she'd already shot an agent," Lee stated.

"Dr. Smyth isn't going to see it like that, and you know it," Francine commented.

"Dr. Smyth can…" Lee began but was cut off.

"Dr. Smyth is going to do his job, just like we did ours," Amanda said firmly as she stood, chin lifted almost defiantly. She touched Lee's arm before moving to where Edwards rested. "Tom, are you doing okay? The ambulance will be here soon," she tried to reassure him.

Edwards looked up at her, and replied, "I'll be fine. It's just a scratch, right?"

"If you breath through the pain, it makes it better. Try not to hold your breath when they move you around. Long breaths work best," she informed him.

"Thank you, Mrs. King. I appreciate that," he answered honestly.

In the distance they could hear the sirens approaching rapidly. Francine took five evidence bags out of a kit in her car. "I need everyone's gun for processing. We're going to do this right," she stated firmly. Collecting each gun, and labeling each bag, she laid the weapons out on the trunk of her car as the first Metro police car sped into the area, an ambulance right behind it.

The next hour was a flurry of activity, the paramedics evaluating Edwards before placing him on a gurney and into the awaiting ambulance, statements taken from the three remaining agents, additional agents arriving to start processing the scene and last but not least, Veronica's body placed in the medical examiner's van.

When they were cleared to leave, the trio headed back to the Georgetown office where Billy immediately called them to his office. Dr. Smyth was already waiting for them.

"Well, well, well, the Rowdy Bunch has returned, minus one I see," he sneered around the cigarette holder in his mouth.

Lee turned, the muscle in his cheek twitching wildly as he said, "We warned her, all of us. She shot Edwards, what else would you have had us do? Wait until she took out someone else?"

"As I recall from Billy's report, you were told to get off this case, Scarecrow," Dr. Smyth stated. "And yet, here you are, once again, knee deep in another shooting with Ms. Tucker. I detect a pattern of revenge."

"Revenge? Is that what you think this was? She followed me. I called in for backup, followed protocol," Lee snapped back.

"Sir, Lee didn't do anything wrong. You weren't there. She was shooting at him, he tried talking to her. She shot Edwards, she threatened all of us," Amanda stated.

"Of course you would say that. As the almost Little Mrs. its your job to protect him," Dr. Smyth said as he puffed away.

"Protect him? Amanda almost took a bullet for him. She was the last one to tell Veronica to put down her weapon," Francine stepped forward as she spoke.

Dr. Smyth narrowed his eyes at Francine before saying, "Soo, the mighty Scarecrow was protecting her. Now we really have a case for revenge. Take out the enemy before the enemy takes out one of us. Internal Affairs is going to tear this apart."

"Listen you….." Lee argued. "I would protect my partner in any way but I did not shoot Veronica. She was spinning in Amanda's direction when she was shot."

Dr. Smyth shifted his gaze at Amanda, "The housewife has a cold blooded streak in her. Kill the ex-lover of her soon to be husband?"

Amanda's eyes widened at his accusation. "Me? You think I pulled the trigger?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"You didn't?" Lee asked incredulously. From Amanda's reaction after Veronica went down, he believed she had pulled the trigger.

"I thought you did," Amanda commented as she turned to him.

"Scarecrow didn't pull the trigger and neither did Amanda," Francine confirmed. When all eyes on the room focused on her she stated, "I did. She was turning toward Amanda, her gun raised. I was covering an agent in the line of duty. Veronica had already shot Edwards. I was protecting the remaining agents involved, myself included."

"Well, Billy-boy, it looks like you have plenty of clean up to do. Your best agents have made a fine mess of things. I'll let you sort it all out and have a report on my desk by the end of day tomorrow," Dr. Smyth declared as he moved toward the door. "Let's just hope you all still have a job after that, shall we?"


	26. Chapter 26

Billy's office was eerily quiet when Dr. Smyth left. Lee was standing beside Amanda, rubbing her back protectively, Francine standing, her arms crossed just watching Billy and Billy shaking his head, trying to process everything he had just heard. Amanda was the first to break the silence when she said, "Sir? What do we need to start doing for Internal Affairs? We know they will be involved so what can we start doing right now to get ahead of this?"

Billy slowly turned to look at her, almost confused for a moment before realizing what she was thinking. "You can start by writing out your reports down to every minute detail from when you left this office until you arrived back here this afternoon. I mean everything, a cough, a sneeze, all of it. Don't give Internal Affairs anything they can even nibble on, never mind sink their teeth into. As of now, you are all on Administrative suspension."

"Suspension? Billy, you can't be serious?" Lee bellowed angrily.

"I am and you are until this blows over. That means any additional cases you may have been working on will be turned over to someone else ASAP. Amanda, Senator Michaels' background checks… what is left?" Billy retorted.

"Nothing sir, it was just Noves and Elaine Harris… Veronica Tucker and now they're both … well…." Amanda explained, unable to verbalize the fact they were both dead.

"I understand, Amanda. So that's good. Francine, what were you working on?" Billy turned to her.

Francine dropped her arms and leaned onto Billy's desk as she replied, "Nothing. I passed off the case I was working on when you gave me and Edwards Veronica Tucker."

"Good, good. So you can focus on just this… Scarecrow?" Billy looked at Lee who was currently pacing nervously.

"Ah… nothing... " Lee answered dismissively, waving his hand for emphasis.

"Then I need reports from all of you on my desk tomorrow morning. Do them here, go home and work on them, I don't care, just get them done. And someone head over to the hospital and check on Edwards. We're going to need a report from him as well," Billy instructed the nervous agents.

"I'll go. I'll make sure he understands what we need. I've helped Lee with his reports enough times," Amanda offered.

"That's a good idea, Amanda. Check on his status as well. I need to know if he's going to be out for a while or if this is only short term," Billy agreed.

"Yes, Sir. I'll have Lee drive me over to there this evening once Edwards is settled into his room. Then we can talk privately," Amanda replied sweetly.

"Okay people, you all know what needs to be done. Right now it's about damage control. Let's make sure those reports are air tight. I'll see you all in my office first thing tomorrow morning," Billy dismissed the group.

Francine exited the room first, followed by Amanda and Lee. The trio stopped at the elevator and stood silently until they were inside. "What do you think is going to happen?" Amanda asked Francine quietly.

Francine shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Infernal Affairs will do their investigation and find we did nothing wrong. Amanda, you have nothing to worry about."

Glancing at Lee, Amanda stated, "It's not me I'm worried about."

Lee was standing silently, his hands jammed into his pockets, rocking on his heels nervously.

Francine leaned close to Amanda's ear and whispered, "You need to talk to him, away from here, find out what is going on in his head. This can't be easy for him. Amanda, take care of him, for all of us."

Amanda nodded in understanding before turning to Lee. "Lee, why don't we get out of here, work on these reports before heading over to the hospital," she said.

"Yeah, that's fine," Lee replied non-committedly.

Francine and Amanda exchanged a worried glance before the elevator doors opened. In silence the trio walked toward the parking lot, separating outside. In the car Amanda suggested, "Why don't we head to your apartment. I'll call Mother and tell her we won't be home for dinner. We can work on our reports without being interrupted and head over to the hospital before visiting hours end."

"I need to shower," Lee stated, not offering anything else.

They rode to Lee's apartment in almost uncomfortable silence, Amanda trying to draw Lee out every few minutes with no luck. Inside, Lee walked right into the bathroom off his bedroom, closing the door behind him, leaving Amanda standing in the living room shaking her head, confused. Hearing the water turn on, Amanda moved to the kitchen and made coffee. She sat at the dining room table and immediately began writing out the details of the day. By the time Lee emerged, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, his hair still damp, Amanda was finishing her first cup of coffee, her report nearly complete.

"I made coffee," she offered, trying to get some kind of reaction from Lee.

He smiled weakly before replying, "Can we talk?"

"Of course. Here or in the living room?" she asked.

"Here's good," Lee leaned on the back of a chair, trying to collect his thoughts. Amanda waited but when he still didn't say anything after a full minute so she got up and poured him a cup of coffee. Sitting back down, she folded her hands and looked at him.

"Lee…" Amanda began at the same time Lee said, "Amanda."

"You first," Amanda said, smiling at him, hoping Lee would open up.

Pulling the chair out, Lee finally sat down, took a sip of the coffee Amanda had placed before him. "Thanks," he said before taking a deep breath. "Amanda, I can't tell you how scared I was today. Seeing Veronica pointing that gun at you… and yeah I know we've been in situations like this before but seeing her…"

Amanda reached across the table to hold his hand, "Sweetheart, I'm okay. I knew the risk, just like you…"

Lee shook his head, "You don't know Veronica… if Francine hadn't…"

"But she did and we are both safe," Amanda said softly rubbing his hand.

"I just… I just don't want to lose you now, not after everything we've been through," Lee stated.

Amanda got up and moved to put her arms around Lee's shoulders, he returned her hug with his arms around her waist. "You're not going to lose me. We've been down this road before and we're still here. And in just over four weeks we are going to be Mr. and Mrs. Stetson to the world, remember?" Amanda said softly as she held him close. She brushed a kiss across his forehead, Lee held her tightly.

"You're an amazing woman, Amanda Stetson," Lee said, a small smile on his face.

"And you have a report to write," Amanda teased. Releasing him, she sat back down across the table and picked up her pencil again.

Lee smiled again, sighed and replied, "The smell of that sauce on my clothes made me hungry. You hungry?"

Amanda shook her head and said, "You start your report, I'll make us some sandwiches. My boys try the same trick when they don't want to do their homework. So let's go, Stetson."

Two hours later, Lee finally pushed the notepad away. "I'm done. If Billy wants a rehash of everything that happened today, he just got it," he stated. Glancing down at his watch, he added, "We should probably head over to the hospital now, see how Edwards made out."

"Mother said the boys are fine. I told her we were visiting a friend that got hurt today and we would be home late. Do you want to stay the night at the house or will you head back here?" Amanda asked. She didn't think Lee should be alone but didn't want him thinking she was worried.

"You know what, I think I'll stay tonight, if that's ok. I… ah… I like waking up with my wife," Lee smiled as he leaned forward to give Amanda a kiss. "Oh, you know what Billy told me this morning… before everything happened?"

"No, what did Billy tell you?" Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow as she did.

Lee pulled her close, kissed her lightly before saying, "The house is officially ours." His dimpled smile lit up his face for the first time that day.

"Really? He's sure?" Amanda could hardly believe him.

"How about we bring your mother and the boys by Saturday morning? They don't have practice or anything, do they? I was thinking they could pick their rooms, get some ideas for a game room maybe in the basement, a place for them to hang out and still have some privacy," Lee said, his face lighting up more and more with each idea.

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Sweetheart! Now, let's go see Edwards then head home and tell everyone the good news," Amanda said before kissing him softly.

Lee pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. When they separated, he teased, "Or we could just stay here and celebrate…"

Amanda blushed, dropping her chin for a second as she shook her head. Looking up again, she stated, "Edwards is waiting for us… even if he doesn't know it."

"How very practical of you Mrs. Stetson," he replied but released her with one more light kiss.

"And Billy will appreciate your sacrifice. You'll just have to wait until later this evening, Mr. Stetson," she replied indicating his efforts may still be rewarded when they returned from the hospital.


	27. Chapter 27

"She fractured your pelvis? That sounds so painful," Amanda exclaimed. They were in Edwards room at the hospital, an agency guard posted outside his room. Amanda was sitting on the end of the bed, her hand resting on his shin, Lee was leaning against the heating unit near the window.

Edwards nodded and attempted to shift his weight to the side, grimacing in pain. "They call it a Duverney fracture. The bullet ricocheted off the iliac wing, leaving me a nice fracture. Good news is the doc said no surgery. Bad news is I'm going to be laid up on crutches for a few weeks while it heals," he explained.

"That's one way to end your first assignment," Lee chuckled, remembering how many times he had been injured in the line of duty. "Just when you thought you'd be out in the field, you get hurt and end up spending the next month behind a desk."

"Tom, Mr. Melrose needs you to write out a report for the shooting," Amanda interrupted Lee. "He wants you to include everything that happened today from the meeting in his office this morning to what happened this afternoon," Amanda explained as she rubbed his leg reassuringly.

Edwards watched her hand warming a path on his leg from his knee to his ankle. He swallowed hard before replying, "I'm not sure I'll be able to get that done here… I mean there's… there's a lot of distractions…. The nurses… coming in non-stop to check on you, you know."

Lee pushed himself off the heater and picked up the notepad Amanda had brought, pushing it toward Edwards, "Well, you'll need to figure out how to get it done or else we all might be out of a job on the other side of this."

Amanda stilled her hand and said quietly, "Tom, Lee's right, as of now we are all on Administrative suspension and if we don't have everything just right, we could all lose our jobs."

Edwards took the notepad and the pen and asked, "What do I need to do?"

"You need to write down everything, everyone you talked to, everywhere you went, every detail you can think of. It's important you don't forget anything," Amanda stated.

"But what about the shooting? I don't know who…" Edwards began but Lee cut him off.

"Francine did it, to protect all of us," he said as the muscle in his cheek twitched wildly at the memory.

"Francine? Wow, I didn't think… she's pretty tough, isn't she?" Edwards asked.

"Francine? She'll take you down and never mess up her manicure," Lee teased, relaxing a bit.

Amanda looked at Lee with a raised eyebrow and said, "Yes, Francine can be tough when she needs to be. Just like all of us. So, Tom, can you write this out tonight and I'll be back in the morning to get it? Billy wants all our reports first thing so we can go over them before Dr. Smyth gets a copy tomorrow afternoon."

Edwards nodded and replied, "I'll do my best but who is Dr. Smyth?"

"If this isn't done right, Dr. Smyth will be your worst nightmare," Lee said between clenched teeth, biting back how he really felt about his superior, the muscle in his cheek beginning to twitch.

"Dr. Smyth is Mr. Melrose's superior and he's not the easiest man to get along with. He can be… difficult, I guess you could say… when he feels something isn't right," Amanda tried to explain. She wanted Edwards to build his own opinion of Dr. Smyth without their influence.

"Oh," Edwards replied quietly. "I'll work on this and, Mrs. King, you said you'll be by in the morning?" he added, smiling at the thought.

Amanda smiled back as she said, "Yes, first thing. Can I bring you anything?"

Edwards looked surprised and thought for a moment before replying, "If I gave you a small list of items, could you get them from my apartment?"

"Your apartment? We can send someone to collect…" Lee began, annoyed.

"Lee, we can swing by tonight on our way home and I can bring whatever it is with me in the morning. No problem, right, Sweetheart?" Amanda smiled. Lee looked back at her, his cheek still twitching but he didn't respond.

"Mrs. King, that would be great but I don't want to put you through any trouble. It's just a few things… my toothbrush, my bathrobe and my comb," Edwards explained.

Amanda couldn't help but laugh, a memory from when Lee was in the hospital when she had first met him. "Let me guess, the comb is on the coffee table?" Amanda asked, teasingly.

Edwards looked at her strangely before replying, "No, I keep it on the bedside table. Who leaves a comb on a coffee table?"

Amanda stifled a laugh with a cough when Lee shifted uncomfortably as he said, "Yeah, so where are your keys?"

Edwards wrote out his address on a piece of paper, handing it to Lee as he said, "My keys are in my jacket pocket. I think they hung it in the closet there."

Amanda stood and opened the closet door, feeling each of the pockets in his jacket before finding the keys in question. Handing them to Edwards, he showed her which one was for his apartment before saying, "Thank you for doing this, Mrs. King. It means a lot to me."

Lee put his hand on Amanda's back, guiding her away from Edwards as he said, "I'm sure it does. Get that report done, Amanda will be here in the morning to get it. And try to get some rest."

As Amanda and Lee walked down the hall toward the elevators, Lee couldn't help comment, "Can you believe that guy? Get me my comb? Really, who does that?"

Amanda shook her head but kept quiet as she slipped her hand into Lee's.

"We can swing by his apartment now before we head home. Then tomorrow, if we take separate cars I can come here first, get his report and you can head right in, start going over ours with Billy," she suggested as they climbed into Lee's car.

"Yeah," Lee replied sullenly. He didn't like Edwards, and most of all he didn't like how Edwards looked at Amanda. "Amanda, can you try… to not be so… nice to Edwards?" Lee asked.

"What?" Amanda asked, her eyes wide. "Not be so nice? He's new, he needs some guidance…." she began.

"So let Francine guide him," Lee snapped.

"Lee, what has gotten into you? If I didn't know any better I would say you're jealous," Amanda stated.

"Jealous? Of him? Amanda, are you serious?" It was Lee's turn to sound shocked.

"Well I don't know what else you'd call it. Maybe you're not jealous but…" Amanda stopped. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on but she had an idea. "Tell you what, why don't we head to your apartment tonight and I'll show you why you have no reason to be jealous," she said seductively as she rubbed her hand on Lee's thigh.

Lee glanced over at her, smiling, his dimples deepening as images of Amanda on his bed began flashing though his mind. "But I have to play nice with Edwards is that it?" he asked.

"Only long enough to finish this case," Amanda stated.

"Deal, now where is his apartment?" Lee answered quickly.

The drive to Edwards' apartment complex was quick. He only lived a few miles from the hospital. Inside the apartment, Amanda shook her head at the piles of questionable laundry on the couch, the multitude of half filled coffee cups on the counter and the magazines strewn across the coffee table, also littering the floor. Looking around she spotted a bathroom at one end of the hall and a closed door which she assumed was his bedroom.

"Tell you what, let's divide and conquer. I'll take the bathroom and you take the bedroom. He only wanted his toothbrush, bathrobe and comb so we should be able to find everything in just a few minutes," Amanda suggested.

"You think so? Look at this place…" Lee began but Amanda cut him off.

"Your apartment didn't look much better not too long ago, buster, so people who live in glass houses…" Amanda said sternly.

"Shouldn't throw stones… I get it. Ok, you take the bathroom, I'll look for his comb," Lee shook his head as he walked toward the closed door. Amanda disappeared into the bathroom as he stepped inside the dark room. Flipping on the switches, Lee strolled across the room, stepping around piles of clothes on the floor to get to the bedside table where he easily located the comb in question. Scanning the room, he also spotted what appeared to be a navy blue and yellow striped bathrobe tossed over a chair also covered in laundry. "I have the bathrobe and the comb, Amanda," he called as he flipped off the light and headed back into the hall.

"I can't bring him this toothbrush. We'll have to stop and buy him a new one," Amanda declared, holding up an old battered brush, the bristles bent in every direction.

"Maybe that's not the one he was looking for. Maybe he has another one," Lee suggested eyeing the brush she held with two fingers.

"Nope, I checked every drawer and found more lubricants than a massage parlor. No toothbrush but this one. I'll buy him a new one tomorrow," Amanda declared as she tossed the brush into the trash in the bathroom.

"So no toothbrush but we have everything else Mr. Edwards requested, now let's go home," Lee said.

"No, let's go to your apartment. I'll call Mother and explain we're spending the night there and we will be at the house in the morning," Amanda reminded him.

"You're sure?" Lee asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Don't make me tell you again, Sweetheart," Amanda teased as she exited the apartment, Lee now a step behind.


	28. Chapter 28

Amanda picked up the phone in Lee's apartment, dialing her home number as Lee continued past her into the kitchen to make them some sandwiches. "Mother, hi. Um, Lee and I will not be home tonight," she said when Dotty answered the phone.

"Is everything all right? Is Lee all right?" Dotty asked worried.

"Yes and no. His friend… the one I told you about the other day… well… she died today, unexpectedly," Amanda said softly.

"Oh, Amanda, that's horrible! How is Lee taking it?" Dotty asked, more worried than before.

Amanda listened to the sounds coming from the kitchen. Lee was happily humming as he made turkey sandwiches for them. "I think he just needs some time, you know. We'll be home first thing in the morning to get my car. I have to go back to the hospital to see our co-worker that got hurt today too and Lee has to go to the office early," she explained.

"Sweetheart, don't worry about a thing here. I'll see you in the morning. And give Lee a hug for me, will you? Bye-bye," Dotty answered before hanging up the phone.

Amanda returned the receiver to the cradle before moving into the kitchen where Lee was placing some potato chips on their dishes. "Everyone A-okay on the home front?" he teased.

Smiling, Amanda ran her hand down Lee's back, "Yeah, but Mother's worried about you. I told her your 'friend' died today."

"Amanda, she wasn't my friend. Not by a long shot," Lee scowled at her comment as he carried their dishes to the table, and returned to the kitchen to retrieve the two glasses of milk he had poured.

"I know that, but I had to tell Mother something the other night when you left the house. You know Mother likes you and now she's worrying about you… like family does," Amanda explained, shrugging her shoulders for emphasis.

Standing, Lee put his hands on Amanda's shoulders, and kissing the tip of her nose he said, "Well, my family can stop worrying. I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I can't tell you what a relief it is to know Veronica Tucker can no longer come back to haunt me or you or anyone else, ever again."

Amanda frowned at his comment and said, "You almost sound happy she's …. well…. That Francine shot her."

Sitting down at the table, Lee took a bite of his sandwich before answering. "Amanda, I'm not happy she's dead but this whole case made me stop and think. Living apart any longer than we have to is… well…. just plain stupid. So when we sign the papers for the house, I want to move as quickly as possible. I know there are a lot of things that still need to be done… a house inspection and all that… but I just want us to be together under one roof."

Amanda picked her head up, an eyebrow raised, "Are you sure? I mean, we should make sure the inspection is done. What did Billy say about the house?"

"Just that the house was ours. So, what do we do about it Mrs. Stetson?" Lee teased.

"Well, we have some extra time on our hands. Let's find out if the Agency has their own building inspector and see if he can look at the house soon," Amanda said.

"I'll find out first thing. Now our reports are done, Edwards is tucked into bed at the hospital, we don't have to rush back to your house. I played nice and I believe you told me you were going to show me why I don't need to be jealous," Lee teased, pushing his plate away from him and leaning forward on his hand.

Amanda wiped her mouth with her napkin before replying, "I believe I did, didn't I. Let's get these dishes in the dishwasher…."

Lee stood quickly, taking their dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher before Amanda could even finish her sentence, eliciting a laugh from her.

When Lee returned to the table, Amanda stood and put her arms around him, pulling him close. "Let's take this in the other room, Sweetheart," she whispered close to his ear, her voice huskier than usual.

Lee scooped her up into his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. When she regained her footing, she wasted no time pulling off his sweatshirt, caressing his chest and abdomen lightly with her fingertips.

Lee stood still, allowing Amanda to touch him as she wished. He clenched his hands at his sides, fighting the urge to bury them in her hair as she began kissing his chest. As she continued to shower his skin with kisses, her nimble fingers unfastened his jeans, pushing the material down his legs, helping him kick out of them after toeing off his sneakers leaving him in his rapidly tightening boxer shorts

Amanda stood slowly pulling off her shirt, tossing it to the side. Lee's hazel eyes darkening with desire as he watched her. She took her time removing her jeans, sliding them slowly down her legs, watching Lee's expression the entire time. He raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips and sighed as she stood before him wearing nothing but her simple cotton bra and briefs.

She brushed her hands up his arms, then down his chest to his stomach, his muscles tightening at her touch. She lightly fingered the waistband of his boxers as he inhaled sharply, "Manda."

Slipping her hand inside, she wrapped her fingers around his swollen member, squeezing him gently. Lee flinched inadvertantly, jerking his hips in the process. Amanda smiled, releasing him as she pushed the material down over his hips to the floor.

Using her body as leverage, she moved Lee to the edge of the bed, pushing him backward with a kiss. "Now… I believe I told you I would show you why you have nothing to be jealous about," Amanda whispered into his ear.

"Manda," Lee responded, already starting to take shallow breaths anticipating what was coming next.

"If I were even remotely interested in Edwards, do you think I would do this…." Amanda said huskily as she drew a line with her fingernail from his navel down his belly, following the line of soft hair which descended downward.

Lee squirmed just a little as he gasped, "Tickles."

"Oh…. really? Do you think I would do this?" Amanda asked as she licked his neck, flicking her tongue down his chest, and lower. She stopped to outline his navel with the tip of her tongue, drawing goosebumps on the skin she left moist.

"Manda," he groaned, his hands now gripping the blanket beside him.

Wrapping her hand around his shaft again, Amanda bent her head lower and whispered against his hot skin, "Would I do this?" before surrounding his swollen head with her lips, eliciting a long moan from Lee.

Working her hands and mouth together, she teased Lee, taking him almost to the edge before she backed off, kissing her way back up to his mouth. He was breathing heavy, his chest heaving. "Still jealous?" she said huskily against his neck, giving him time to relax before she changed to the next idea she had.

"Maybe… just a little," Lee teased right back at her between breaths. He was enjoying Amanda taking complete control, something he wished she felt comfortable doing more often.

Amanda looked at him, narrowing her eyes as she studied his face. Deciding he'd had enough time to recover, she straddled him. Reaching behind her back, she unclasped her bra, sliding it down her arms and allowed the soft material to trail across his chest. Lee ran his hands up her thighs toward her waistline, humming contently.

She rolled her hips a little, grinding against his rock hard shaft. "Man-da…" Lee whined a little at the exquisite torture she was giving him but he needed release and soon.

Amanda smiled and rolled her hips again, "Is this helping?" she asked huskily, leaning close to his ear, her breath hot on his cheek.

"No," Lee said, quickly flipping her onto her back. He immediately cupped her breast in his hand, teasing the nipple to a tight point. He repeated the same action on her other breast, drawing a long moan from Amanda.

"No fair," she panted as Lee mimicked her action from earlier, licking a line down her stomach toward the cotton briefs she still wore.

"I'm not as jealous," Lee replied as he pulled off her briefs, tossing them toward the laundry basket on the other side of the room. He kissed, nipped and licked her skin back up toward her neck before covering her body with his. Tugging on her earlobe with his teeth, he whispered one question in her ear, "Safe?"

Amanda shook her head and replied, "Uh-uh, not now." With a heavy sigh, Lee rolled off her toward the bedside table. Reaching into the drawer, he pulled out a condom and rolled back toward Amanda. She took the foil packet from his hands and quickly opened it. Rolling it onto him, she reached up and brought her arms around his back, holding him tight.

"Not for much longer, Sweetheart," Amanda sighed in his ear. As she drew a line down his back with her fingertips, he arched, and entered her in one movement.

"Manda, I love you," Lee gasped as he began to move, finding their matching rhythm quickly.

Amanda wrapped her legs around his, pulling him closer as she moaned, "Oh my gosh…." The closer she climbed, the louder her cries became until the only word she could repeat was "Lee!"

Lee wasn't fairing much better as her name became his chant as she hugged him tightly to her, her body shuddering and twitching as her orgasm began. He followed right behind, pumping deep with every twitch until they both collapsed, panting and sweating.

Rolling to the side, Lee discarded the used condom then draped his arm across his head as he laid, spread eagle on the bed. Amanda rolled into his side and asked, "Still jealous or do you need more convincing?"

"Tonight, you've convinced me," Lee pulled her close, kissing the top of her head, "But tomorrow is another day…."


	29. Chapter 29

Thursday morning dawned with overcast skies and the air was heavy with moisture but even that couldn't dampen Amanda's mood as she cheerfully woke before Lee, making coffee and preparing a small serving of pancakes for the two of them.

Lee woke a short time later to the smell of coffee and the sound of Amanda in the shower. He debated what his better morning choice would be… a fresh, steaming cup of coffee or a hot shower with his wife. Taking a chance, he slipped into the bathroom and climbed in the shower with her.

"Good morning," he said as he wrapped his arms around Amanda.

"Good morning yourself. I thought you were going to be late, you were sleeping so soundly," Amanda replied after kissing him lightly on the lips.

"I think I slept well last night. Might have been that sandwich right before bed," Lee teased, rubbing his hands up and down her arms lightly, the hot water sluicing downward.

"Uh-huh. Or the exercise you got might have helped a little bit too. I'm thinking exercise is good before bed… really gets the blood pumping, you know?" Amanda teased him back as she settled her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a long, sensuous kiss.

Leaning back, Lee tasted his lips with the tip of his tongue before commenting, "Pancakes for breakfast, huh?"

Amanda laughed and said, "Yeah, how'd you guess?"

"You taste like maple syrup and butter," he replied, a devilish grin on his face.

"Oh really? Well, you're lucky I just got in here then. I was a little sticky," Amanda smiled back at him, an eyebrow raised.

"And now you're all wet and sticky?" Lee teased, the innuendo hung in the air.

Amanda ran her hands down his chest as she said, "I'm sure you can help me out with that though… can't ya… Big Fella?"

Lee plundered her mouth with his as he ran his hand down her body, pulling her tightly against him, "I can… how do you want to handle this?" he asked breathlessly.

Before Amanda could reply, they could hear the phone ringing. "Damn," Lee swore. Shaking his head, he said, "No, let the machine get it." As the ringing continued, he pressed her body against the cool tiles of the shower as he kissed her neck.

They could hear the machine click on and then Billy's voice booming into the room, "Scarecrow, dammit, you better be on your way here now. Infernal Affairs is already in my office looking for those reports. And make sure Amanda has Edwards' report too."

Amanda lifted her chin upward and groaned, "You know what this means?"

Lee nodded and sighed, "Yeah it means I don't get any pancakes today."

Amanda began laughing as she gently pushed Lee backward into the spray and said, "You'll get yours… later. Right now, we need to get into work before Internal Affairs starts thinking we really did do something wrong. I need to get my car, so finish your shower." Stepping out of the water, Amanda reached back to pull Lee in for one last sensual kiss. "That should hold you until later," she whispered as she ran her hand down his back.

"I'm gonna hold you to that… I still want my… pancakes," Lee replied with a grin.

"I'll take care of that problem later, now scoot," Amanda said as she gave him a playful slap on his backside before slipping out of the bathroom.

Lee cranked the water to cold and shivered as he quickly showered, mumbling, "I thought my days of cold showers were over."

He found Amanda sitting at the table, sipping her coffee, fully dressed. Waiting for him beside her was a mug of coffee as well as two small pancakes on a plate. He looked at them, rolled his eyes and said, "Amanda, this isn't what I meant…"

Amanda laughed and replied, "I know but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Just think of this as a…. promise… a…."

"It's a damn tease is what it is, Amanda, come on," Lee grumbled. Taking a sip of his coffee, he stared at the pancakes on the plate in front of him. Picking up his fork, he cut a small piece and shoveled it into his mouth mumbling, "Happy now?"

"Yes, now finish your coffee. We have no idea what's waiting for us at the office and from the sounds of things, Billy isn't too happy," Amanda replied as she sipped her coffee.

Lee took another bite of the pancakes and a large gulp of his coffee before stating, "I can't wait to see what Billy has in store for us now. What could Internal Affairs possibly find that would make them think we… any of us… pulled the trigger for anything other than self defense?"

Amanda put her hand on Lee's forearm as she said, "Well, we're never gonna know unless we get Edwards' report and get in there. They need to see everyone's side of the story. And well, Edwards doesn't know much about your history with Veronica so his report should be the clearest of all of them."

"Yeah if he actually saw anything. He was hit and on the ground around the side of that building, remember? He may not have seen anything that can help us," Lee stated firmly.

"No, Sweetheart, you're right, he may not have seen anything but I'm sure he heard everything. Veronica was warned, by all of us. She made her choice and when she threatened…." Amanda stopped and shivered for a moment at the memory of Veronica spinning toward her, gun raised, before she continued, "Well, she had a choice and if it wasn't for Francine, one of us might not be sitting here right now."

"I know, I know… it's just… First Dr. Smyth and now this. When are we going to catch a break, Amanda? When are you and I ever going to catch a break so we can live our lives like… like…" Lee was exasperated.

"Like normal people? We've talked about this before. We're moving in that direction but we know our lives will never be normal. But at least now, we get to be together," Amanda smoothed his hand with hers.

"You're right. Let's get your car and get this over with," Lee replied with a sigh.

The rain fell heavily as they drove toward Amanda's house, creating more traffic than usual. By the time Lee dropped her off and he made it to the Agency it was almost 9:30, his mood as dark as the clouds above. He stormed down to Billy's office, not bothering to knock when he saw Mrs. Frampton of the Internal Affairs Committee standing beside his desk, arms crossed, waiting. Billy was sitting beside his desk, scowling, an uneaten donut in front of him.

"Here, here's my report and Amanda's. She's on her way to the hospital to get Edwards' report now," Lee tossed two folders onto Billy's deks.

Mrs. Frampton leaned over to retrieve the files when Billy's hand landed on top of them, stopping her. "I'd like to review these first, if you wouldn't mind. I haven't seen them yet and I'd like to be sure there are no surprises hidden away," Billy stated firmly.

Mrs. Frampton moved to sit on the couch and replied, "Mr. Melrose, I can wait but your behavior will be noted."

"My behavior? Mrs. Frampton, you show up, in my office at an ungodly hour and demand I call in my agents to turn in reports I haven't even had a moment to see and you want to note MY BEHAVIOR?" Billy's voice rose loudly as he slowly stood and leaned on his desk.

Lee put his hands up, trying to calm his friend and mentor, "Billy, look, it's not a big deal. Just calm down, read our reports and then Mrs. Frampton will be on her way. Amanda should be here soon as will Francine, I'm sure of it."

Little did he know, Francine was sitting in a massive traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge and Amanda was at the hospital trying to get herself out of her own jam.


	30. Chapter 30

"Tom, listen, I need you to sign this now. Mr. Melrose is waiting for this and the weather is causing heavy traffic," Amanda said to Edwards who was sitting up in his hospital bed, sipping coffee and eating scrambled eggs.

"I said I would, as soon as I finish breakfast. You sure you don't want to join me?" he asked between bites.

Amanda closed her eyes and shook her head, frustrated. In her hand she held Edwards unsigned report. She had spent the last half hour reading and asking questions for clarification as Edwards found every reason to talk to her and not sign it. "Tom, please, it will only take two seconds for you to stop eating, sign this and then I can bring it to Mr. Melrose," she tried.

"Amanda… I can call you Amanda now right? I mean after all, I took a bullet for everyone didn't I?" Tom asked.

Amanda sighed again, "Yes, you can call me Amanda, you can call Lee, Lee and you can call Francine, Francine but please, can you sign this?"

"And you still promise to have that drink with me?" he asked with a lopsided grin.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, careful not to jostle him too much, Amanda patted his arm. "Tom, Lee and I are getting married in a few weeks. Why do you continue to insist I have a drink with you?"

Pushing himself up a little higher, Tom pushed the tray to the side, away from him. He leaned close to Amanda, stopping when he winced in pain. Exhaling, he said, "Amanda, you are a very beautiful woman…" Reaching forward, he tried caressing her cheek as he said, "You should keep your options open. I'm sure I can…"

Standing up abruptly, not caring if he was in pain, Amanda glared at him, "My options? I'll have you know, Lee IS my option." Pacing away from the bed, she turned back, her eyes dark with anger, "He and I have been… together… for almost 4 years now and there is no one and I mean no one else I'd rather be with. So you can just get that idea right out of your head and sign your damn report or else I'll have to explain to Mr. Melrose what happened just now."

Leaning back on the pillow, Edwards shook his head and held up his hands in mock surrender. "If that's the way you feel, I guess there's nothing I can do to change your mind," he said sarcastically.

Amanda shoved the pen in his direction and said firmly, "Sign it and I will be on my way. Don't sign it and I'll have you written up for…."

"Written up for what? I haven't done anything wrong. All I did was suggest we go out for a drink," he answered, folding his arms across his chest.

"Fine… I'll just explain to Lee what happened and let you two work in out. If that's what you'd prefer," Amanda held her ground.

"Gimme the pen," Edwards said quickly. Signing the bottom line, he handed the pen and report back to Amanda. "I'll be home in a few days. Do you think you could come by and check on me?" he asked.

Amanda stood and walked out the door without answering him. She was seething with anger over his arrogance but knew she had to get it under control before she got to the Agency. She drove slowly due to the heavy downpours and heavier traffic, arriving in just over an hour.

Lee was pacing Billy's office under Mrs. Frampton's scrutiny, checking his watch every few minutes. "Where the hell is she? She was just going over there to pick up his report and then she was coming right here," he stated.

Billy's office door swung open without a knock, a very unhappy looking Francine standing in the doorway. "I hate rain. I hate traffic. I hate the George Washington Bridge and most of all… I hate early morning phone calls demanding a report that isn't even overdue!" she exclaimed as she tossed her report onto Billy's desk.

"Well, Ms. Desmond, it is nice of you to join us," Mrs. Frampton said as she stood, approaching Billy's desk. He gave her a firm look and she promptly retreated back to her seat on the couch.

"Francine, get yourself a cup of coffee and settle down. I'm just going to take a minute to review your report while we wait for Amanda to get here with Edwards' report. It appears she may be having the same traffic issue as you did," Billy said calmly.

With a loud exhale, Francine agreed, "Okay, coffee sounds good right now. I'll be right back. Anyone else?"

"Yeah, I'll come with you. I need a change of scenery," Lee said as he glanced at Mrs. Frampton.

Just as Lee finished poured two cups of coffee, he saw Amanda walking into the bullpen. "Amanda, what happened? I thought you were just getting Edwards' report?" he questioned.

"It's a long story, the traffic, the weather, you know... but I'm here now and here's his report. Is Mr. Melrose in his office? I want to give this to him and head upstairs to clear a few things off my desk," she rambled.

"Amanda? Are you okay? You seem a bit frazzled… well more than usual," Francine gestured at Amanda.

Ignoring Francine, Amanda asked again, "Is Billy in there?"

"Yeah, he's in there with the Dragon Lady from Infernal affairs," Francine answered.

"Thank you, Francine," Amanda nodded. She crossed the bullpen and knocked on Billy's door, waiting for his acknowledgement.

"Come on in," Billy's bellowing voice echoed behind the door.

"Here you go, sir. Edwards' report. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. This weather is just awful and the traffic… " Amanda tried to sound cheery and apologetic.

"Thank you, Amanda. I'm sorry you had to go all the way over there this morning. How is Edwards feeling? Is he in a lot of pain?" Billy asked.

"A little but I think he'll be fine. He should be discharged in a day or two," Amanda said. She noticed Mrs. Frampton sitting on the couch and turned to address her. "Oh, hello, Mrs. Frampton, I'm sorry I didn't see you there."

"That's okay, Mrs. King. I'm just waiting for Mr. Melrose to review Mr. Edwards' report so I can go over everything myself. I understand you've all been placed on Administrative Suspension for the time being so that saves my department from issuing the suspensions if need be. But what I don't understand is why he's so protective of all of you. We have a suspect, shot and killed and it's my job to decide was it justifiable or revenge," Mrs. Frampton analyzed.

"I can assure you, Mrs. Frampton, Veronica Tucker was not shot in revenge. She was warned by Lee, Francine and myself to drop her weapon," Amanda started angrily. She didn't hear the door open and Lee and Francine walk inside.

"Amanda, don't say another word. Please. Let her read it for herself. She's not going to believe anything you say anyway," Lee spit out.

"Well, on that note, I'm going downstairs to my office. Mr. Melrose, I will expect Mr. Edwards' report on my desk within the hour," Mrs. Frampton stood and left the room, carrying the three report folders.

"Mr. Melrose, if you don't need me right now, I'd like to go upstairs and clear a few things off my desk if we really are on suspension," Amanda declared.

Billy sensed something was bothering Amanda. She was standing stiffly, her arms folded, hugging herself. Lee was angry but from what he could see if wasn't with her. Deciding he wasn't going to push, he simply replied, "That's fine, Amanda. If I need you, I know where to find you."

"Thank you, sir," she answered as she quickly left the room, leaving Lee and Francine staring at the door, looking confused.

"Well, from the looks on your faces I assume neither one of you knows why Amanda is upset at the moment," Billy pointed out.

Lee was the first to speak, "No… she was fine when I left her at her car this morning. More than fine... "

"Do you care to elaborate on that, Scarecrow?" Billy asked, trying to suppress a smirk.

"She… um… she made me pancakes for breakfast," he hesitated, covering his own smile with his hand.

"Well, if that's all it takes to put that look on your face, I'll have to try that on my next date," Francine teased.

Lee laughed as he said, "No, I'm telling you, she made pancakes for breakfast. Then I brought her to pick up her car, she went to the hospital and I came here."

"So you think her mood might have something to do with Edwards?" Billy questioned.

Francine pursed her lips before saying, "Billy, I'm telling you he doesn't know where the line is. He seems to have this … this… thing for Amanda…. Do you know he asked her out for a drink? Said he wanted to get to know her better."

Billy looked at Francine then turned to Lee, "Is this true? Has Edwards been… bothering Amanda?"

"I set him straight, Billy… with a bullet. You can ask Leatherneck," Lee answered running his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm telling you, Billy, if he's crossed any lines… that bullet off his hip is the least of his worries."

"Scarecrow, don't get all worked up over this. Head upstairs and see what happened. Do not, and I repeat, do not confront Edwards without some answers from Amanda. Got it?" Billy leaned forward on his desk, keeping eye contact with Lee.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Let me see if I can find out what happened. Francine, do you want to head over and talk to Edwards? I'd like to get his side of the story… before I decide what to do with him," the muscle in Lee's cheek twitched angrily.

"Sure, give me the dirty job," Francine quipped.

"Fine, I'll take Edwards, you take Amanda," Lee challenged her.

"Scarecrow! Go upstairs and check on your… almost wife… that is, if you still intend to marry her because I can tell you from experience… if another man makes her angry, you're the one to end up in the dog house," Billy teased.

"Good advice, Billy. I'll do just that," Lee turned and headed across the bullpen toward the elevator.

As Francine and Billy watched him go, Billy stated, "Get over to that hospital and set Edwards straight on Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Now!"

"On my way," Francine replied as she left the office.


	31. Chapter 31

In the Q Bureau, Lee found Amanda jamming files into drawers and closing them with a resounding bang. Trying to lighten the mood, Lee said, "Hey, what did that drawer do to you?"

Amanda snapped her head in his direction but took a deep breath before she sat down.

"Amanda? What's gotten into you? Did something happen when you picked up Edwards' report?" Lee asked. It was bothering him to see his wife so angry and he didn't know what had happened.

Amanda rubbed her forehead with her fingertips as if she was working out a headache. "You know, you try to be nice to people and they take it to a level it was never meant to be taken to…" she said softly.

Sitting on the corner of Amanda's desk, Lee lifted her chin with his fingers, "Hey, what happened?"

Pursing her lips, she shook her head, "No… you really don't want to hear it."

"Come on, Amanda, it can't be that bad," Lee brought his hand to her shoulder.

"You really want to know? I'll tell you. He made a pass at me and when I threatened to have him written up, he played it off like he did nothing wrong and then STILL had the ….. gumption to ask me if I would check on him at his apartment when he went home," Amanda groaned as she dropped her chin down in frustration.

Lee clenched his jaw, the muscles twitching wildly. "I'll kill him," he spit out.

"Lee, sweetheart, I knew this is exactly how you would react. No, you're not going to kill him. We're in enough hot water over the whole Veronica Tucker thing," Amanda put her hand on his knee.

"Amanda, how can you sit there and defend him now after he made a pass at you? What he did was wrong!" Lee slammed his hand on the desk angrily.

"Well, he did say I was a beautiful woman so I guess everything he said wasn't wrong," she said with a smile, trying to calm Lee down. "Listen, staying angry over this isn't going to help clear us with Internal Affairs so let's just calm down."

"You're right, you're right. It's probably a good thing he's already in the hospital?" Lee asked only half kidding.

"Lee!" Amanda snapped.

Holding up his hands in mock surrender, he replied, "Okay, all right. Hey, there's nothing more we can do here, let's head downstairs to Acquisitions and see if they have a building inspector. Maybe we can get that done today? I'd really like to show the house to Dotty and the boys this weekend, if we can."

Smiling, Amanda stood up and slipped her hand in his, "Let's go. I'd like that too."

At the hospital, Edwards was staring up at Francine, his eyes wide in fear as she held a fistfull of his hospital johnny in his hand demanding, "What did you say to Amanda King this morning? And if you don't tell me, I'll make sure you only leave this hospital in a body bag!"

"I… I… I just asked her if we could still have that drink… you know… and I told her if things didn't work out with Mr. Stetson that she had other options…." he stammered.

Francine let go of his johnny with a jerk, pushing him backward onto the bed. "You did not! Why would you say something that stupid? Do you have any idea what Lee Stetson might do to you if she actually tells him?" she questioned him.

"I don't get why everyone is so… so… protective of them and their relationship," Edwards shook his head frustrated.

"You really don't get it, do you? They have something special, something everyone should have at least once in their lifetime. I've watched them survive some of the scariest situations and come out better on the other side. For example, a few months back, Lee got injected with a drug called PD-2 and was on a death watch then just a few weeks later Amanda was shot and almost killed while they were on vacation. And yet, here they are, about to get married in a few weeks and here you are, sticking your nose in a place it doesn't belong," Francine lectured him.

Edwards looked down at his hands then back up at Francine and said, "So I guess what you're trying to tell me, is Mrs. King is completely off limits."

"If you want to stay alive, then yes," Francine laughed.

Amanda and Lee returned to Billy's office a few hours later where Francine was sitting across from him, going over the rest of her notes for Senator Michaels' party. As luck would have it, they had checked with Acquisitions and the Agency did have its own building inspector on staff and he was available to check out the property that afternoon.

"So, what do you think? Do you think Dr. Shchavesky is off the KGB's radar now?" Billy was asking Francine as they entered the office.

"It's hard to say. I mean, who else is there? Veronica's dead, Noves is dead, Poda is hiding in Boston as far as we know," Francine listed off their group of suspects.

"Nothing from our boys in Boston?" Billy asked as he sat back in his chair, rolling a pen between his fingers.

"Nothing. He's under deep from what we can see," Francine shook her head.

"Well, I guess there is nothing we can do now but wait and see what Internal Affairs decides. In the meantime, enjoy your time off. Congratulations on the house Amanda, Lee," Billy smiled.

"Sir, I hate to be the Negative Nelly right now but what happens if Internal Affairs says we are at fault? What will that mean for us?" Amanda asked tentatively.

"In this case, I"m not really sure. Francine was the one to pull the trigger, ballistics will prove that, but if Internal Affairs thinks you set her up, then you might all be fired. I'm sorry, Amanda I just don't have a good answer on this one," Billy said as he shook his head.

Lee sighed then said, "Well, I guess we try to salvage the rest of this week and hope Mrs. Frampton finds the truth."

"Go, before Dr. Smyth finds a reason to keep you all here. If I hear anything, I'll let you know," Billy dismissed the group.

Amanda and Lee headed back to Amanda's house, and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon and evening with her family. Even Dotty commented it was wonderful they had the night off, oblivious to the looks exchanged between them. Lee spent the night and Friday morning, to avoid any questions from Dotty, they headed over to Lee's apartment. They were both surprised when the building inspector called to say the house was sound and they could pick up the report that afternoon.

"So you know what this means, Mrs. Stetson…" Lee teased after hanging up the phone.

"And what's that, Mr. Stetson?" she asked, as she slung her arms around his waist.

"We need to celebrate," Lee planted a quick kiss on her lips.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Amanda returned his kiss with one of her own.

Gesturing toward the couch with a lift of his chin, Lee just smiled.

Amanda thought for a moment and replied, "Do you really think this is what we should be doing while we are on suspension? Shouldn't we try to find more evidence to clear us?"

"Yes and no. I believe you still owe me a pancake or two," Lee answered before covering her mouth with his in a toe curling kiss. The rest of the morning they forgot all about why they were on suspension and focused completely on celebrating their first major step toward bringing their lives together as one, once and for all.


	32. Chapter 32

"Mother? Boys?" Amanda called as she walked into her house late Friday afternoon after they picked up the report from the building inspector.

"In here!" Dotty called from the den. Walking into the room, Amanda and Lee were surprised by to find Dotty sitting on the couch beside Jamie, Phillip on the floor looking at a photo album.

"Whatcha got there?" Lee asked, leaning over the back of the couch to peer over Jamie's shoulder.

"Well, this one," Jamie held up the album in his hand, "is my project that I got an A on thanks to your help, Lee."

"I didn't do much…" Lee answered, his cheeks turning pink from the compliment.

"Sure you did. If you didn't show me all the settings, I wouldn't have gotten these shots," Jamie explained as he pointed to one picture then another. One picture was of a dog, mid-air, catching a frisbee in its mouth. The crisp quality of the photo was excellent and even Lee was impressed. The second was taken on the basketball court, the ball hovering just on the edge of the rim.

"Jamie, these are really, really good. Way to go, Chief," Lee exclaimed, clapping Jamie on the shoulder. Jamie grinned ear to ear with Lee's praise, Amanda reached out and touched Lee's back, a smile on her face as well.

"Well, I don't know which album is better, Jamie's new one, or this old one of us when we were babies. Grandma found it and we've been laughing all afternoon," Phillip held up the book in his hands.

Amanda took the book from him, flipping through the first few pages. She sat down on the arm of the couch as she silently looked at the pictures of her boys as babies; Phillip holding Jamie for the first time, pillows propped up all around them, Amanda holding Phillip's hand, Jamie propped up on her hip, Amanda helping Jamie blow out a single birthday candle. Taking a deep breath, she couldn't help the sadness that crept over her.

"Mom? You okay?" Phillip stood up and moved to sit beside Amanda, leaning his head against her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just miss you guys being this little, I guess," Amanda replied, leaning her chin on his head.

"Mom, Lee, can I ask you a question? And you don't have to answer it if you don't want to or if you don't know…" Jamie began.

Looking down at him, Lee was the first to speak, "You and your brother can ask anything, Chief. What's on your mind?"

Looking at Phillip's face first, Jamie bit his bottom lip nervously before asking, "Lee, do you think you and Mom will want to have kids of your own… I mean… I know Mom already has us… but… do you guys want to have a baby… together?" He shrugged his shoulders as if he was confused by his own question.

Amanda looked up at Lee to see his reaction. After spending time with Charlie, they had already discussed wanting to have a child together but they had not had the conversation with the boys or her mother yet. Lee's hazel eyes stared back at her brown eyes. She gave him a subtle nod and a blink of confirmation.

"Well, your mom and I have talked about that and yes. I know that's a big step, but after we get married, maybe…." Lee stammered.

"See, I told you!" Jamie teased his brother.

"I didn't say they didn't want to, Bozo!" Phillip yelled back.

Dotty had been sitting quietly, speechless over first Jamie's question then over Lee's revelation. "Boys, boys, boys, let's not fight and ruin this beautiful afternoon. Let's get these books cleaned up and figure out dinner tonight," she said, a big smile on her face. Looking at Amanda and Lee, she asked, "Will you two be here for dinner or do you need to run back to work tonight?"

Amanda smiled back at her mother, "No, we'll be here for dinner but how about pizza? Then we don't have to cook," she suggested.

Phillip jumped to his feet, excitedly, "Sausage and onion? I'm in!"

"Pepperoni for me please!" Jamie added.

Dotty looked at her grandson's excited faces and declared, "Pizza it is! How about you, Lee? Any preferences?"

"Hamburger, green pepper and onion sounds good to me. Amanda?" Lee smiled.

"Cheese will be just find to round this off," she replied. "But we have another surprise I guess you could say. Sweetheart, do you want to tell them?" she asked Lee.

"No, I think you can have this one," Lee answered folding his arms across his chest.

"Fellas, tomorrow morning Lee and I need you and your grandmother to be ready early. We have something to show you," Amanda teased.

"Early? How early is early? Mom… come on… it's Saturday…" Phillip whined a little, thinking he was going to have to wake up super early.

"Not too early. How about we leave by nine?" she suggested.

Dotty raised an eyebrow at her daughter and son-in-law. "And where exactly are we going, dear?"

"To see our new house," Amanda said softly.

"Our new house? And where exactly is this new house, missy?" Dotty questioned trying to hide her own excitement.

Lee cleared his throat and said, "What is the name of that park again… Bar.. Bar… Barlcay…?"

Dotty's eyebrows shot up as she asked, "Barclay Knolls? Amanda, how are you and Lee going to afford one of the homes over there?" She knew the neighborhood and knew the homes in that area must cost a small fortune.

Lee grinned as he explained, "Well, that's where we luck out. IFF buys houses to use for projects and after a few years they sell them off. And my uncle, the Colonel, gave us a check that we can use for a down payment which will help lower our mortgage payments dramatically."

"Then I guess we get to celebrate with pizza tonight!" Dotty stood up and walked over to Lee, giving him a hug.

"What's that for, Dotty?" Lee asked, slightly confused.

"For making this family very happy," she replied as she touched his cheek before walking away.


	33. Chapter 33

Saturday morning found the King household buzzing with excitement. The boys woke up earlier than asked, were dressed and waiting for Amanda to make breakfast before Lee was even out of the shower. Dotty hummed happily as she bounced down the stairs, singing "Good morning, Amanda." She kissed her cheek before kissing each of the boys as Amanda flipped pancakes.

"Everyone's in a wonderful mood this morning," Amanda commented. "Don't forget fellas, you have dinner with your Dad tonight and I'll be going out with Carrie and the other ladies from the wedding party."

"That's right, Amanda, what show did you say you were going to see," Dotty asked.

"Um, I don't think I said, Mother and well, I'd rather not mention it around the boys," Amanda said softly as Lee jogged down the steps.

"Morning, Lee," Dotty called as soon as she saw him. He stopped to kiss Amanda on the cheek before pouring a cup of coffee and sliding onto the bench seat at the table beside Jamie.

"Good morning, Dotty, boys," he smiled.

"Lee, what are you going to do tonight while Amanda and the boys are out?" Dotty asked.

"Well, I'm not really sure. I did tell Amanda if she needed me to get the boys after dinner I would be around for that. I'm not sure what time she'll be getting back from her show tonight," he said as he smirked. He knew how uncomfortable Amanda was about seeing the Chippendale's show and was enjoying watching her squirm.

Amanda carried the plate filled with steaming pancakes to the table. She passed out plates to everyone, including Lee and couldn't help a little teasing of her own, "Lee, do you want a pancake this morning or did you get your fill the other day?"

Lee smiled back, and said, "Well, I think just one will satisfy me for now."

Dotty began to laugh listening to the two of them. "Amanda, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to see this house. I mean, it must be one of those French Provincials isn't it? How many bedrooms? Does it have a garden in the back? You know how much I love my gardening. Oh, when would we be moving? Should we begin packing right away? Have you mentioned this to Joe yet? Maybe he and Carrie would like to move in here if they haven't figured out where they're going to live yet…" Dotty fired off one question after another, not waiting for an answer.

"Mother, Mother, slow down. You'll see the house in just a bit, as soon as everyone's ready to go. We still have to sign all the papers for the mortgage so we don't know exactly when we'll be moving and no, I haven't said anything to Joe yet. This just kind of happened, faster than we expected," Amanda replied.

"Well, I'm done, Mom and I can't wait to go," Philip announced as he stood up and carried his dish to the sink.

"Me, too!" Jamie chimed. He realized Lee was blocking his way so he teased, "Geez, Lee, can you eat any slower?"

"I'm just enjoying breakfast, Chief. I've found a new appreciation for pancakes recently," Lee replied as he stood, allowing Jamie to place his dish in the sink as well.

"We're gonna go shoot hoops outside," Phillip called as the back door slammed behind them.

"I'll be ready in just a moment. Finish your breakfast, Lee," Dotty said as she patted his shoulder before heading up the stairs.

Lee leaned forward toward Amanda, kissing her cheek, "Thanks for breakfast. And for this morning… before breakfast," he winked at her.

"Sweetheart, shhh, Mother might hear you," Amanda blushed.

"Well, she didn't hear you so that's a good thing, right?" he teased.

"Shhhh," Amanda said again.

Lee just laughed as he took his last bite of pancake. Dropping his plate in the sink, he immediately began loading the dishwasher while Amanda finished eating.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to do that. I'll get those," Amanda told him.

"The sooner the dishes get loaded, the sooner we can go," Lee explained as Amanda carried her plate over.

"Well, thank you. I'm just going to get my purse and let Mother know we're ready…" Amanda started but Dotty interrupted her.

"I'm here… ready to go," Dotty announced.

"Let's get the boys," Lee announced as he wiped his hands on the dish towel.

They drove toward Barclay Knoll, the car filled with chatter. As they turned into the neighborhood, Jamie was the first to comment, "Wow, look at these houses. Mom, this isn't a joke, right? You and Lee are really buying a house…."

Amanda nodded as they turned down the cul de sac where the house was located. "As a matter of fact, it's that one right there," she said as she pointed to the house.

"Amanda Jean, this better not be a cruel joke," Dotty stated, her hand on her chest.

Laughing she replied, "No Mother, this isn't a joke. That really is the house Lee and I are buying. Come on, we'll show you inside."

Lee punched in the alarm code to the garage, collected the keys and entered the alarm code for the house. "After you…" he said, pushing the door open.

Jamie and Phillip started to run inside but immediately stopped when they saw the interior. "Mom? Lee? Are you sure this is the house you're buying? This place is huge!" Phillip whistled.

"Do you like it?" Lee asked as he closed the door behind Dotty.

"Like it? Like it? Lee, this place is… well… it's…. It's… well… I'm speechless," Dotty exclaimed.

"Where do you want to start fellas?" Amanda asked.

Jamie and Phillip looked at each other and declared, "The kitchen!"

"Follow me," Lee announced. The next hour was spent examining every room, choosing bedrooms, discussing ideas for the family room in the basement and visualizing where Dotty's gardens would be in the backyard.

Dotty couldn't help but point out the location of the master bedroom gave the couple much needed privacy. She also added she hoped the extra bedroom wouldn't stay empty for too long.

Amanda blushed profusely and Lee had to turn away to hide his own embarrassment at her comments to which Dotty simply said, "I know how grandchildren get here, and privacy is just the thing you need."

The only room in the house Amanda and Lee found difficult to explain was the office with all the surveillance equipment. "This location was used for foreign dignitaries, heads of state, that kind of thing. The security was just precautionary, however, I think it will make a good addition. Keep everyone safe, you know," Lee tried to appeal to Dotty's sense of family.

Dotty just waved her hand, non-committedly and said, "If you say so."

Checking her watch, Amanda announced, "Boys, we should get going if you're going to get hair cuts before tonight."

Climbing into the Jeep, Dotty stopped and hugged Amanda, "It's beautiful, Amanda, simply beautiful."

"Well, Mother, I'm glad you like it. There's plenty of space for all of us, the boys will finally get their own rooms and there's that great family room they can hang out with their friends and still have their own space.," Amanda replied.

"So I guess the big question is when do we move in?" Dotty teased.

Lee came up behind her and put his hands on Dotty's shoulders and said, "As soon as we can, Dotty. As soon as we can."

Together they drove back to Amanda's house where they separated, Lee heading out to do a few errands while Amanda took the boys to get their hair cuts before they met back at the house later that afternoon.

Joe was already sitting in the den with Dotty by the time Lee got back, carrying a few bags of groceries. "Hey, Joe, Amanda and the boys should be back any minute. She just took them to get hair cuts," Lee explained as he shook Joe's hand.

"Thanks, Lee. Looks like she has you on shopping duty today. Did you go to all the right stores? The meat from the butcher over on…." Joe began teasing Lee.

"Actually, no, I chose to go. Figured I'd pick up a few things and the boys can help make dinner tomorrow. Amanda has no idea," Lee replied as he began unpacking the bag.

"The boys help make dinner? I can barely get them to sit at the table when Carrie cooks," Joe responded sounding confused.

"The boys and I have started making dinner once a week. Let's see, the first week was homemade vegetable lasagna, last week we made Thai. I figured since we're all home tomorrow night we could make frittatas," Lee remarked.

"Home… what you've already moved in?" Joe sneered.

"No, no I didn't mean it like that. Just the boys will be here, Amanda, her mother… I don't have to work… " Lee paused for moment. "You know, Joe, I'm just trying to get to know the boys better and cooking with them… It's common ground. I enjoy it, they enjoy it… and we talk a lot while we're doing it. They're great kids and well, with Amanda and I getting married in a few weeks… I want to get to know as much as I can about them before we move," Lee said quickly.

"Move? What do you mean move?" Joe questioned.

Before Lee could answer, Amanda and the boys raced into the kitchen. "Joe! You're here early, I thought you said five o'clock… it's only… four fifty five. Shoot. Boys, go on upstairs and get changed quickly. Your clothes are all ironed and on your beds," Amanda rushed out.

"We'll be right down, Dad," Phillip called as they ran up the stairs.

"Amanda, are you moving?" Joe demanded.

Amanda looked at Lee's face then Joe's confused expression. "Well, Joe, as a matter of fact, we will be. Lee and I are in the process of buying a house over by Barclay Knoll."

"And when were you planning on telling me?" Joe demanded.

"Joe, Sweetheart, just calm down. It happened so fast, we just told the boys and Mother yesterday," Amanda said soothingly.

"And what about this house? What are you planning to do about it?" Joe asked, calmer.

Amanda smiled, "That depends on what you want to do. We can sell it or if you and Carrie want to move in, you can buy my half out."

"Buy your half out? You mean you'd do that? If Carrie agreed… let us move in here?" Joe sounded dubious.

"Joe, we bought this house together. The boys have lived their whole lives here. If you and Carrie moved in, they could keep their room and always feel comfortable here. We're forcing so many changes on them as it is, if we can keep one constant in their lives… it might help," Amanda explained.

"You know what Amanda, you're right, as usual. I'll talk to Carrie tomorrow because tonight, we celebrate!" Joe smiled as he nodded his head. Turning when he heard the boys run down the stairs, he said, "Hey guys, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, Dad. Lee, you're gonna pick us up at the restaurant and bring us home right? That's what Mom said you were doing," Jamie confirmed.

"That's right, Chief. Just call me before dessert and I'll come get you and bring you back here. I think your grandmother is going out with Captain Kurt so we can have movie night," Lee responded.

"Lee, I was thinking… why don't you join us for dinner? Then you can drop the boys off and join us after," Joe invited.

Shaking his head, Lee replied nervously, "I'm not sure you want me to tag along…. After all, this is your night to celebrate with family and friends…"

"You're practically family now, so come on… it will be fun. The boys will be fine for a few hours on their own," Joe encouraged.

"Yeah, Lee, this will give you and Dad a chance to get to know each other a little more," Phillip agreed with his dad.

Looking at Amanda for guidance, she gave him a silent nod. "Let me change my clothes," he said. He ran up the stairs to Amanda's bedroom to change, missing the look on Joe's face when his mouth dropped.


	34. Chapter 34

Lee decided dinner at the restaurant was awkward at best. He sat at one end of the table with Jamie on one side of him, a lawyer friend of Joe's on the other. Phillp sat a few seats away between Carrie's dad and Carrie's uncle whom he had never met. The food was decent although Lee couldn't help but mutter, "My chili's better." Conversation was tough except when Jamie began talking about his photography project. Lee couldn't hide the smile of pride as he listened to him explain each photo and his teacher's reaction to his portfolio.

At the other end of the table, he watched Joe out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't wrap his brain around Joe's comment earlier regarding Lee moving into Amanda's house or the family moving to a new home. After all, he and Amanda were getting married in just a few weeks themselves, Joe and Carrie were already living together in Carrie's townhouse. Deciding he and Joe were going to need to have a conversation later, Lee took a sip of water.

According to Lee's way of thinking, the conversation dragged on an hour longer than needed. The boys were restless and bored, not included in most of the conversations. Leaning over to whisper in Jamie's ear, Lee asked, "Ready, Chief?" Jamie nodded, standing slowly. He walked to the other end of the table to tell Philip who practically jumped out of his chair, more than ready to leave. The boys walked over to say goodbye to Joe as Lee joined them.

"Leaving so soon?" Joe asked, sounding disappointed they weren't staying longer.

"Yeah, Dad, sorry, it's been a long day and well, we got up early this morning. I'm beat," Phillip yawned for added emphasis.

"Are you feeling okay? You're not coming down with something are you?" Joe asked, concerned.

"No, really Dad, we did get up early this morning. I'm tired too. Besides, if you want Lee to meet up with you guys, he still needs to bring us home. This way he won't miss out on any of the fun because of us," Jamie offered.

"All right, fellas. Have a good night and get some rest. Are we still on for the movies tomorrow afternoon?" Joe asked sounding disappointed they were leaving.

"What are the choices?" Phillip asked as his face lit up.

"Monster Squad or Masters of the Universe," Joe replied quickly.

"I'll let Junior choose on that one," Phillip replied not happy with either movie choice.

Turning to Lee, Joe said, "Lee, you are meeting us there right? At the Palace Royale?"

"The Palace, got it. About an hour I'd say to get the boys home," Lee nodded and the trio left the restaurant.

In the car, Phillip couldn't hide his sigh of relief, "Lee, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Carrie's uncle smells funny… like sweat and socks." He scrunched his nose up for emphasis.

"Well at least you didn't have to listen to Mr. McNeal rattle on his latest case to Lee. Did you have any idea what he was talking about?" Jamie lamented.

Lee laughed, "No, not really. Something about an old lady fighting with her neighbor over a fence and a tree but then I tuned him out."

They laughed and joked the rest of the ride back to Arlington, pulling into the driveway faster than Lee had hoped. "Hey guys, how about we make dinner tomorrow night when you get home from the movies? I know a quick recipe your mom loves," Lee suggested.

"That sounds great. Do you think you can convince Dad to pick a different movie? He picked kid's movies. I'm surprised he didn't say the Carebear Movie," Jamie commented.

"Yeah, maybe you can suggest RoboCop or the new one The Rosary Murders," Phillip suggested excitedly.

"I'll try but why don't we go with something you can all enjoy…. Something like Superman IV," Lee said. He wasn't sure if he was crossing the line with Joe but he understood the boys point of view also. Checking his watch he said, "I should probably head back. Think you two can hold down the fort without getting into trouble?"

"We'll be fine. Have fun checking out the hot chicks," Phillip called out from the den where he had just plopped himself on the couch.

Shaking his head, Lee tossed his keys gently in his hand before closing the door behind him. He drove to the Palace Royale Strip Club, parked the car and wandered inside. He scanned the smoky room for Joe and the rest of the group from dinner, finding them sitting at a long table near the edge of the stage. Lee ordered a whiskey sour knowing he could nurse it for a while. He found a seat, his back to the stage and proceeded to make pleasant conversation with another of Joe's friends who had met them there.

Over an hour later, Lee was only on his second drink, wishing he could find a way to leave without offending Joe. He was uncomfortable, not with the show going on behind him or the behavior of Joe's friends but with Joe. The longer they were there, the more drinks Joe's friends were buying him, the looser his tongue became. Joe called Lee over to sit beside him for a round of shots of Vodka. Lee tried to politely decline but Joe insisted.

"I can't … I can't… I can't be… be… believe…. I'm getting married again," Joe hiccupped as he looped his arm around Lee's shoulder. "I thought Amanda and I would be together… you know?"

"Carrie is a very lucky woman, Joe," Lee said as he tried to remove Joe's arm.

"But did you really move in…. Into Amanda's house?" Joe asked.

"No, not into Amanda's house but I have spent a few nights there," Lee replied looking around to see if he could find someone to distract Joe for him.

"So you're saying… you're having sex with my wife… with my boys there?" Joe raised his voice slightly, his speech slurred.

"No, I'm having sex with my wife, your ex-wife," Lee whispered before replying loudly, "No, Joe, I barely know Carrie."

"Amanda…. I mean, Amanda…. Not Carrie… not yet…. One more week….. Hey…. Hey…." Joe began calling to one of the dancers. "A lap dance for my friend here… he's getting married in a few weeks you know."

"No, Joe, that's okay… I don't need a lap dance, but you… you look like you need something so I'm just going to head over there and see what I can get for you, hey how does that sound. You just stay right here and I'll see what I can do," Lee said quickly as he stood up. He stopped to talk to Joe's best man and explained he needed to leave for an emergency at work but someone needed to keep an eye on Joe. The man agreed and ordered coffee as Lee wove his way through tables toward the door. He took one last look toward Joe where the dancer was now grinding against him, her breasts inches from his face.

Outside he took a few long, deep breaths to clear the smoke from his lungs and to calm the anger that was simmering just below the surface. He knew Joe was still in love with Amanda, he could see it every time Joe looked at her, the way he touched her hand when he greeted her, kissed her cheek. Leaning against his car, Lee was debating where he wanted to go, back to his apartment or to Amanda's house when he heard the shrilling of his car phone. Unlocking the door quickly, he answered it, "Stetson."

"Lee… can you come get me?" Amanda asked trying to speak over the loud music.

"Get you? Are you okay? I thought you were at that show with Carrie and her friends?" Lee asked.

"Please? I just… I just don't want to be here anymore. Even Carrie looks miserable but she can't leave," Amanda's voice could barely be heard over the music behind her.

"On my way, where are you?" he asked knowing he was feeling much the same way.

Amanda gave him the name of the club they were at and told him she would wait outside.

Lee found Amanda leaning against the side of the club as far away from the doors as she could, scanning the cars pulling in and out. "Are you lost?" Lee teased as he walked up beside her.

"Lee! Oh, I'm so glad you're here. Can we just get out of here please before anyone sees us? I can't believe I even agreed to this. And poor Carrie, she's still in there, so embarrassed. I wish there was something I could do to get her out of there," Amanda rambled.

Looking at Amanda's face, he made a decision he hoped he wouldn't regret. With a sigh he asked, "What is Carrie wearing?"

Amanda looked at him strangely before replying, "She has on a light pink dress and she's wearing a crown and a white sash that says Bride to be. They are sitting down front. I told them I wasn't feeling well, I hate lying."

"Okay, okay. Stay here…. I'll….be right back," Lee walked toward the entrance where he flashed his badge at the bouncer who let him in immediately.

Inside, lights were flashing, smoke filled the room, much like the club he just left. Squinting from the bright flashing lights, he searched the area toward the stage. He found Carrie sitting on the end, her chin down, attempting to cover her eyes as the dancer on the stage gyrated his hips only a few feet away. Lee chuckled and couldn't help think how similar Carrie was to Amanda. He pushed his way through the crowd of women chanting and waving dollar bills trying to get close to the performers on the edge of the stage.

"Carrie? Carrie King?" Lee touched her on the shoulder.

"I'm Carrie… I won't be Carrie King until next week… Can I help you?" Carrie didn't lift her eyes and over the loud music she didn't recognize his voice.

Lee pulled his badge out of his pocket again, placing it in her line of view and said, "Can I have a word with you outside, please?"

He watched recognition cross Carrie's face as she looked upward and mouthed a silent thank you at him. Before standing, she leaned close to the woman beside her and spoke into her ear but over the loud music Lee couldn't hear her comment. Standing, she held onto his jacket sleeve as Lee led her toward the exit.

Once they were outside, Carrie spotted Amanda and immediately ran over to her, wrapping her arms around her in a hug. "Amanda! Thank you for getting me out of there… and you, Mr. Stetson…" Carrie sighed in relief.

"Lee, Carrie, please. Amanda just said you were very uncomfortable in there so I did what I could to help," Lee explained.

"Do you want to go home, Carrie? I can go back in and tell Barbara something… the alarm at your townhouse is going off and the police can't get in touch with Joe? Then tomorrow you can just say it was a false alarm…" Amanda suggested. She could see by the look on Carrie's face she was just as miserable watching the show.

Carrie hugged her again, "You wouldn't mind? I don't think I can go back in there myself. That dancer… he just keeps…. wiggling his… you know…" Amanda blushed immediately silently thankful she had gone outside when she did.

Lee laughed loudly, "Amanda, if you don't want to go, I'll go. Which one is Barbara?"

"Barbara was the one beside me I spoke to," Carrie replied. "She's wearing a blue shirt."

Lee nodded and headed back inside. He returned a few minutes later shaking his hair, now wet, covered in spots of liquid all over his shirt and pants.

"Sweetheart, what happened?" Amanda exclaimed as she rushed forward.

"Barbara had just ordered a bottle of champagne and just as I approached her to explain, she popped the cork… all over me…." Lee explained, brushing any loose droplets off his shirt.

Carrie tried hard not to laugh as she said, "I'm so sorry, Mr… Lee…. Barbara pops her cork around a lot of good looking men… guess you just did it for her…."

Lee just shook his head as he said, "Come on, Carrie, let's get you home."


	35. Chapter 35

Lee and Amanda drove toward Carrie and Joe's townhouse on the outskirts of Georgetown. Amanda couldn't help notice the muscle in Lee's cheek twitching wildly every time Carrie mentioned Joe. Clearing his throat, Lee said, "Carrie, Joe was pretty drunk at the club when I left… his friends will get him home safely, won't they?"

Nodding, Carrie replied, "Yes, Mike assured me he was the designated driver tonight and Joe wasn't going to remember a thing. Thank you both for getting me out of there and driving me home. I can't believe I let Barbara talk me into this."

Turning in her seat, Amanda looked at Carrie in the backseat, her heart immediately going out to her. Carrie looked to be on the verge of tears, her crown in her hands. "Hey, it's gonna be fine. I bet they don't even notice we've left. I mean, the other girls were interested in the show, no one was really paying attention to us anyway." She stopped briefly as they pulled up in front of Carrie and Joe's home. "I think you should head on inside, have a nice cup of tea and find an old movie on TV that you like. That's what I would do."

Carrie looked up at Amanda, replying, "Now I understand what Joe sees in you. He says you have the biggest heart of anyone he's ever met before. And your boys… when you were away a few weekends ago and they were here… They were so polite, well mannered. I haven't spent much time around them before and… well… I can't say this to Joe… but you've done a wonderful job raising them on your own. With Joe working out of the country… well… they are fine young men, Amanda and you should be so proud."

"Carrie, that's awful sweet but you don't need to say…" Amanda blushed at the compliment.

"But I do. I know it's not easy on them… first Joe and I getting married and then you and… Lee… well, that seems like a lot for the boys to handle but they don't seem phased by any of it. I ask them to do something, they simply do it. They clear their dishes off the table as soon as they finish and even wash them without being asked. They are very lucky to have a mother like you," Carrie said as she put her hand on Amanda's shoulder. "I'm gonna go head inside and do exactly as you suggested…. A cup of tea and an old movie while I wait for Joe to come home. Thank you, Amanda… you too… Lee…. " She climbed out of the backseat and headed toward the door, waving one last time when she was inside.

Lee reached over and held Amanda's hand as he said, "She's right you know. You've raised those boys almost entirely on your own… I know your mother's helped …. But they are all you… great kids. I'm real glad for that. It's made getting to know them that much easier these past few weeks."

"Aw, sweetheart," Amanda replied leaning forward to kiss him gently. "Let's say you and I head back to my place and hang out with the boys for the rest of the night. Call it family night. What do you say?"

"I say there's no place else I'd like to spend the rest of my Saturday night," Lee kissed her on the cheek before pulling away from the curb.

Arriving home, Lee and Amanda challenged the boys to a rousing game of monopoly which after a few hows, Lee lost horribly, Amanda not far behind him. Admitting defeat, they called it a night just before Dotty breezed in, laughing. The boys headed up to bed as Amanda and Lee told Dotty all about what happened. Amanda raised an eyebrow when Lee mentioned Joe tried to get him a lap dance. Dotty laughed wholeheartedly when Amanda told her how Lee went back inside to get Carrie out of the club they were in.

"So let me get this straight… Lee… you refused a lap dance and Amanda… you left a club where a bunch of good looking men were shaking their…. Well… shaking what their mamas gave them…. To come home and play monopoly with the boys?" Dotty continued to laugh.

"Yeah, that about sums up our night," Lee nodded in agreement.

"And now, we're heading to bed. Good night, Mother," Amanda hugged Dotty before heading up the stairs.

"Good night, Dear, Lee," Dotty patted Lee on the cheek as he walked by following Amanda up the stairs.  _She really did find herself a keeper,_ she thought as she watched Lee disappear up the stairs.

As Lee passed the boys bedroom, he overheard them laughing about the monopoly game. Smiling, he closed Amanda's bedroom door as he put his arms around her, pulling her close for a brief kiss before saying, "I think I can get used to this."

Sunday morning, Lee and Amanda were awakened by the sound of Philip and Jamie arguing over the movie they were going to see later in the day with Joe. Getting out of bed first, Lee headed toward the boys' room where they were yelling loudly. "Hey, hey, hey... " Lee said trying to get their attention.

"No, I'm not watching that stupid movie, I don't care what Dad said," Phillip exclaimed loudly.

Not to be outdone by his brother, Jamie yelled back, "I don't want to see it either but Dad's gonna be mad if we don't see what he wants, you know that."

"Hey, guys…" Lee tried again, holding his hands up.

"There's no way I'm stepping into that theater to see Masters of the Universe!" Phillip yelled again.

"Fellas! Enough fighting," Amanda yelled sharply from behind Lee, causing them all to jump.

Jamie and Phillip quickly sat down on their beds, their eyes trained on Amanda who was now pinching the bridge of her nose. "Now, if you don't want to see that movie, that's fine. Just tell your dad…."

"I tried Mom. I called Dad a few minutes ago to find out what time he was picking us up and he said that's the movie we're seeing," Phillip explained as he crossed his arms. "I'm not going."

Amanda sat down on the bed beside him and put her arm around his shoulders, "Listen, fellas, your dad means well and if you really don't want to see that movie then just tell him. Maybe you can find out what time the other movies are playing and have a plan."

Lee watched as both boys immediately calmed down and thought back to Carrie's comments from the night before. She was completely right, the boys were great kids because of everything Amanda had done with them. Leaning against the door frame, Lee looked from one face to another then cleared his throat. "I'm sure your Dad has quite the headache from last night and he may not be thinking clearly just yet. So let's wait an hour or so and give him another call. In the meantime, how about I go out and get some muffins and pastries for breakfast… a treat this morning? Your mom and Grandma don't have to cook."

"If there's a lemon poppyseed muffin in there for you, I'm game," Amanda smiled at him.

"Eclairs… Grandma loves eclairs. And chocolate chip muffins, please," Jamie suggested.

"Thanks, Lee. I'm sorry we were yelling and woke you guys up," Philip said as he stood and walked over to give Lee a hug in apology. Lee hesitantly put his arms around him, watching Amanda's eyebrows raise in response.

The rest of the day passed quietly. Amanda called Joe and she could tell from the sound of his voice he was still very hungover. She tried to convince him they could go to the movies one night during the week but he said he had promised the boys. She did manage to change the movie and he agreed on Superman IV, drawing excited cheers from both boys. Joe picked them up promptly at one o'clock, giving Amanda and Lee a few hours to run errands before he dropped them off again. When they returned from the store, Lee had called Billy but was only told Internal Affairs was still working on their investigation. With a sigh, he hung up the phone and just shook his head at Amanda.

When the boys returned from the movies, Amanda invited Joe in for coffee, much to Lee's dismay. As they sat, Jamie brought his project photo album out to show Joe. "Lee, you helped Jamie with this?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, I just helped him learn the settings on the camera… the rest was all him. He has a great eye for detail," Lee explained uncomfortably.

"Not as good as the photographer that took pictures of you proposing to Mom," Jamie interjected, Joe's head cocking slightly to the side.

"Photographer?" he asked.

Still feeling uncomfortable, Lee shifted in his seat, "Um, yeah… when we were in Virginia Beach… I thought it would be nice for Dotty and the boys to see…."

"Dad, Dad…. you're never going to believe what happened. Phillip, get the book so Dad can see," Jamie called to his brother.

As Phillip entered the room carrying the book, Amanda followed, dropping her hand on Lee's shoulder, feeling his tension. Joe took the book and slowly turned the pages as he sipped his coffee, not saying a word. Turning the last page, Joe looked up and said quietly, "Lee, I believe I owe you an apology for something I said last night."


	36. Chapter 36

"Joe, what do you mean you owe Lee an apology for something you said? What could you have possibly said that would require an apology?" Amanda questioned him.

Lee cleared his throat as Joe looked away uncomfortably. "Amanda, It was nothing… just a slip of the tongue after Joe had a little too much too drink. It's fine, really, no hard feelings," Lee replied.

"Are you sure because when you picked me up last night that muscle right there in the side of your cheek could have been signalling Morse code, it was twitching so bad," Amanda recalled.

Joe looked at Amanda and dropped his eyes before he said, "I… um… I don't remember a whole lot about last night but I do recall very clearly asking Lee if he was having sex… while the boys were here."

"Joe, there was a little more to it than just that," Lee stated as he sat back in his chair, fighting the urge to raise his voice.

"Hold on here… what do you mean there was more? And why would you even say that to Lee? Joe? After all, you and Carrie have sex with the boys around…" Amanda said, immediately covering her eyes.

"Wait, I'm confused. How would you know what Carrie and I do with the boys around…" Joe began when it dawned on him.

Amanda pursed her lips and stared at Joe for a minute before replying, "Yes, Joe, the boys heard you two a few weeks ago. And, no, they've never heard Lee and I because we are a lot more careful than that. So what else did you say to Lee?"

Joe's mouth was still hanging open when Lee replied, "Joe asked if I was having sex with his  _wife_ while the boys were around…. I said no I barely knew Carrie as a joke but then Joe replied no… with you."

Now it was Amanda's turn to be speechless. She just looked at Joe then back at Lee. "Amanda, I'm sorry…." Joe began, "I was drunk and it just came out wrong. I love Carrie and I can't wait to marry her next week…"

"But you still consider me your wife? Joe, why?" Amanda was angry, her dark brown eyes narrowing as she looked at him.

"It's not like that Amanda! Honestly, I was drunk…. It just came out wrong. I'm sorry…. Really. And Lee, I apologize to you too. This photo album… I knew how much you both were in love but this… Well, I see things more clearly now. But if you want to limit our contact to just through the boys then I would understand that," Joe stated, his voice getting quieter as he spoke.

"Joe, that's not necessary. Now that it's all in the open I'm sure, as adults, we can handle this. As a matter of fact, I have an idea. Amanda, the boys and I were planning on making dinner tonight so why doesn't Joe call Carrie and they can stay for dinner too," Lee suggested. He knew it was best for the boys for the four adults to get along.

"Lee, I'm not sure that's such a great idea," Joe rushed out but Amanda put her hand on his arm and stopped him.

The corners of her mouth turned up with just the hint of a smile as she said, "No, Joe, I think that's a wonderful idea. Lee's right, we do need to behave like adults and the boys need to see that. Not to mention, this gives you an opportunity to see how Lee interacts with the boys. With Lee and the boys cooking, you're in for a treat."

"Amanda, are you sure… after everything I've done… you still want to invite us for dinner?" Joe asked incredulously.

"I'll invite you to dinner under one condition," Amanda offered with a smirk.

"What's that?" Joe asked sounding confused.

"That you stop referring to me as your wife when you're drunk," she said with a laugh.

Lee couldn't suppress the laugh that bubbled up from his chest. Standing, he moved beside Amanda, kissing her cheek before saying, "I'm the only one that gets that privilege."

Joe laughed, feeling more comfortable as he said, "Can I use your phone to call Carrie?"

"Sure. You know where it is," Amanda replied as she covered Lee's hand with her own. Joe stood and moved toward the kitchen. They could hear him talking quietly from the kitchen. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry this whole thing happened. Maybe if I hadn't agreed to go to Carrie's party, we would have been home together and none of this would have happened."

"Amanda, you can't possibly think this is your fault? You didn't get Joe drunk, he did that all on his own and you definitely didn't put the words in his mouth. I said it before, he's still in love with you but he can't have you…. You're all mine," Lee leaned down and kissed her again, lingering on her lips for a few seconds.

"Carrie said that would be …" Joe started as he walked in the room but stopped, "Sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's fine, Joe," Lee replied, "What did Carrie say?"

Joe sat back down and sipped his coffee as he said, "Carrie said it was a wonderful idea. She wanted to thank you both for getting her out of there last night. She's stopping to pick up dessert if that's okay. If not, I'm sure I can catch her."

"Dessert will be perfect. Lee, what did you decide to teach the boys tonight?" Amanda smiled.

"You're favorite, frittata. I picked up all the ingredients yesterday afternoon while you took the boys to get their haircuts. And now would be a good time for me to get the boys and start prepping the vegetables," Lee replied moving toward the kitchen. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and called up to Jamie and Philip, "Hey, fellas, you got a few minutes?"

The sound of thundering feet down the steps made everyone laugh. "Sure, Lee, what's up?" Philip asked as he jumped down the last two steps with a thud.

"I know it's not Tuesday but we're all here… how about helping make dinner tonight? Carrie's on her way over with dessert…" Lee offered.

"It's my turn to start chopping," Jamie said enthusiastically.

"What're we making tonight?" Philip asked, rushing into the kitchen, opening the fridge to see what they might be using for ingredients.

"One of my favorite meals that Lee cooks, so don't mess this one up," Amanda teased as she and Joe moved from the dining room into the family room so they could watch the preparations.

"We are making my world famous frittatas. Eggs, mushrooms, garlic, spinach, everything but the kitchen sink…." Lee rattled off the ingredients, drawing a blush from Amanda. She couldn't help but remember the first time he made her frittatas, they spent the rest of the night making love.

Joe couldn't help but notice the pinkening of her cheeks as she bit her bottom lip and looked down at her coffee cup. Leaning forward he whispered, "Must be one heck of a frittata."

Amanda giggled, then asked loudly, "Are we celebrating anything tonight?"

"Yes, yes we are… we are celebrating being a family… one big, extended family with Carrie and myself…." Lee announced.


	37. Chapter 37

Joe sat in amazement as he watched Lee and the boys dice vegetables, beat the eggs, stir the butter in the pan and saute the garlic just before adding all the ingredients. The boys laughed with Lee, asked questions not only about the recipe but the chef who had taught Lee, and what it was like living in Capri, Italy. He was even impressed with Lee's knowledge of history when Lee asked Philip if he had studied for his test yet, tossing out questions left and right even Joe didn't know the answers to.

Carrie arrived amidst a round of laughter when Jamie decided to demonstrate his juggling skills and ended up dropping an egg on Lee's foot, the yolk soaking into this sneaker. Lee took it all in stride, as he cleaned up the floor, kicked off his soiled sneakers, and informed Jamie he was on dishwashing duty for the night all with a smile on his face.

Dotty joined the rest of the family, stealing a few pieces of chopped vegetables, commenting on all the wonderful smells she still had a hard time believing her grandsons helped create.

Dinner passed comfortably. Joe and Carrie talked about the last minute plans for their wedding, Amanda and Lee discussing a few ideas for their own wedding. When dessert was over, Amanda sent the boys to their room to get their backpacks ready for school the next day. Hearing their bedroom door close, she turned to Joe.

"Joe, I've been meaning to ask you… I know it's really going to be your weekend to take the boys but Lee and I were wondering if you didn't mind if we took them to Virginia Beach. There's a festival the weekend before our wedding and we thought they'd really enjoy seeing the sand sculptures and the art shows," she explained.

"Well, I was kind of hoping to have the boys that weekend but I think the festival sounds like a great weekend for them. Tell you what. Why don't Carrie and I take the boys the week you and Lee are on your honeymoon… you know, give your mom some time to herself that week," Joe suggested.

"Mother, how do you feel about that? Joe and Carrie taking the boys while Lee and I are on our honeymoon?" Amanda turned to ask Dotty who was sitting beside Lee, complimenting him again for dinner.

"What was that dear? Oh… I think that would be a wonderful idea. Speaking of honeymoons… have you told Joe where you're going yet?" Dotty asked.

Lee smiled as he said, "Amanda and I are heading to Newport, Rhode Island for a few days."

Carrie looked slightly confused, "Newport? Rhode Island? That doesn't sound like a popular honeymoon destination."

"No, not your typical destination but the mansions are beautiful in the fall. There's Bowen's Wharf and the seafood festival and if we're lucky we might even catch the end of the Jazz festival they have every year. If the weather cooperates, there's always the hike along the Cliff Walk. I'm hoping we can rent a sailboat for a day, take it out on Narragansett Bay," Lee rattled off.

Amanda smiled, excited to hear the ideas he had. Up to now, he hadn't said a word about what they would be doing.

"Sounds like you two are going to have a fun week," Joe said before turning to Carrie, "We should get going. Amanda, Lee, thank you for a wonderful dinner and for being so understanding about last night."

The adults stood and moved toward the door. Joe called up to the boys and when they came back down to say goodbye, he reminded them about the rehearsal dinner on Friday. After a round of hugs and goodbyes, Amanda slowly closed the front door announcing "Bedtime, fellas." Amanda and Lee did another once over around the house to check doors before heading up to bed.

Monday morning brought the typical frantic flurry to get the boys up and off to school on time. Amanda and Lee made the decision to head to the Agency so Dotty wouldn't ask questions about why they weren't working again that day They had just entered the Q Bureau when the phone on Lee's desk rang. Answering it with an eyebrow raised, he said "Stetson."

"Scarecrow, I need you and Amanda in my office, now," Billy's voice boomed into his ear.

"On our way," Lee said as he hung up the phone. Turning to Amanda he stated, "Billy wants us in his office now."

"Why, what's going on? Did Internal Affairs come up with something?" she asked nervously.

"I don't know. Let's go find out." Together they made their way to Billy's office where they could hear him yelling into the phone. As they opened his door, he slammed down the receiver muttering to himself. "Billy, what's going on?" Lee asked.

"Internal Affairs has called you all for a hearing at 2:00 this afternoon. I just sent Francine over to pick up Edwards from the hospital. You wouldn't believe what I had to do to convince the doctor to release him a day early. Practically sold my left kidney for that boy. He better be a damn good agent down the line for me to stick my neck out like that," Billy answered.

"A hearing, sir? Does that mean they found something?" Amanda asked. She couldn't hide the stress in her voice.

"A hearing is what they call a judgment. They've either completed their investigation or they have enough evidence to make a ruling against one or more of the agents involved. Meaning they could clear all of you or one of you which is why I need you all there," he explained. "We just don't know what they're going to do."

"Sir, what if…" Amanda began but stopped.

"What if what, Amanda?" Billy asked knowing how nervous she must be. Lee was already familiar with the process as he had been before the board on more than one occasion as a young agent.

Amanda took a deep breath before continuing, "What if they rule against some of us? What happens then?"

Lee stood and put his hand on Amanda's shoulder, "That depends on their ruling. If they think we're guilty, then that's it. There's no appeal process, like in a regular court of law. If Internal Affairs says we're guilty, then it's sayonara, baby."

Just as Amanda began to speak, Billy's phone rang. "Melrose!" he barked. "What do you mean you lost him? Isn't it your job to keep an eye on him? Well, go find where the hell he is! We can't afford a mess like this!" Slamming down the phone, Billy leaned forward on his hands on his desk. "Heads up, they just lost Poda."

Lee blew out the breath he was holding as he shook his head. Running his hand through his hair he replied, "So what does that mean for Schavesky? Do you think Poda's still going after him?"

"I hope not. Especially if you're still on suspension. Senator Michaels' party is in two days, we can't afford a screw up like this," Billy sat back in his chair, touching his fingertips together.

"Sir, if Poda is still after Dr. Schavesky and he's still going to Senator Michaels' party, shouldn't the Agency be there to protect him?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, Amanda, the Agency will be there but there are very few pictures of Poda available so it's not like the current agents will have a good visual. Both Lee and Francine have dealt with him before. It would be best if you all were there but DAMN," Billy slammed his hand off his desk as his voice got louder, "Internal Affairs has really put a wrench into things."


	38. Chapter 38

Amanda and Lee were pacing the Q Bureau when they got the call from Billy that Francine and Edwards had arrived. Holding hands, they rode the elevator down to Billy's office where his bellowing voice could already be heard through the closed door. Lee didn't bother to knock before entering, listening to Billy holler, "Dammit, Desmond! I don't care what Dr. Smythe says, you two need to be at Senator Michaels' party no matter what!"

Francine was doing her best to calm him down, "Billy, he just said we needed to wait for Mrs. Frampton's ruling."

"Scarecrow! Amanda!" he barked then softened his tone, "Francine, can you get me more coffee, please? This whole situation has me on edge and Jeannie would probably kill me if she knew I'm exceeding the new recommendation to cut back on the caffeine."

Nodding sympathetically, Francine cast a glance in Lee's direction as she left the office.

"Sir, you should really listen to your doctor's advice," Amanda said quietly, trying to avoid eye contact with Edwards who was sitting on the couch.

"Yes, Mr. Melrose, my mother cut back on my father's caffeine by switching him to half decaf in every cup. Worked like a charm. He could drink as much coffee as he wanted without the jittery feeling all day," Edwards offered.

"Thank you, Edwards, for that enlightening suggestion. Let's hope Internal Affairs decides to keep you around long enough to test it," Billy replied, the corners of his mouth lifting in a small smile. Francine returned, handing Billy the steaming mug. "Thank you, Francine." Checking his watch, he announced, "This is it, people. We have fifteen minutes before the show begins. I just want to say… no matter what Internal Affairs say, no matter what they decide, you are some damn good agents."

"Thank you, sir," Amanda said quietly. She had sat in the chair closest to Billy's desk as far away from Edwards as she could without being too obvious.

Billy could see her clear discomfort each time Edwards spoke and not once did she even acknowledge his presence in the room, an act completely unusual for her. He made a quick decision to try to get to the bottom of things as he said, "Francine, Amanda, could the two of you help Edwards to the conference room. It's going to take a few minutes on those crutches. Scarecrow and I will meet you there."

Amanda stood and moved to hold the door as Francine stated, "Come on, Edwards, hobble your way over here." She stood near him as he carefully stood, wincing in pain. "It's not that bad, let's go," she rolled her eyes at him.

The trio slowly made their way across the bullpen as Billy looked on. Once they were out of view he turned to Lee. "What's going on with Amanda and Edwards? Is he still bothering her?" Billy asked pointedly.

"Amanda said he made a pass at her on Friday when she went to see him at the hospital and when she threatened to have him written up for inappropriate conduct, he blew it off like it was nothing. I don't know, Billy, he's young, smart… he could make a good agent one day but he needs to lose this attitude he has…." Lee replied thoughtfully.

Billy laughed loudly before answering, "I remember thinking the same thing about you about 10 years ago, young, smart… but if he would just stay away from the ladies…."

Lee looked at his friend before saying," I never went after a woman already involved in a relationship… knowingly anyway….or unless it was part of the job. I don't know what it is Billy… I think, he has some kind of hang up on Amanda."

"Let's get through this hearing then we can address this issue between Edwards and Amanda," Billy stated as they moved toward the conference room. They found seats around the table, Billy sitting between Francine and Edwards, Lee beside Amanda on the opposite side. As soon as they were seated, Mrs. Frampton along with three other agents from Internal Affairs entered. They sat at the opposite end, hands folded, just watching until everyone took their seats.

"I want to thank everyone for your continued patience while we complete our investigation. I won't beat around the bush. You must be some of the luckiest damn agents I've ever investigated," Mrs. Frampton stated.

Lee couldn't hide the shocked expression on his face with her candid comment. Billy spoke quickly, "Care to elaborate on that?"

"After a careful investigation, two witnesses turned over a security video from the Potomac Boat Club. A thorough scrutiny of the video, as well as the eyewitnesses audio accounts, confirm Veronica Tucker was warned multiple times to drop her weapon and she fired unprompted at Edwards. After watching the video frame by frame, it was also determined that Ms. Desmond only fired in self-defense. She didn't raise her weapon until after Ms. Tucker began her turn toward Mrs. King with her weapon outstretched. So our findings show, Mr. Edwards, Ms. Desmond and Mrs. King acted appropriately and you are no longer on suspension by this department, should Mr. Melrose choose to lift the Administrative suspension," the older agent explained.

"Thank you, Mrs. Frampton," Billy stated. He opened his mouth to continue but Lee cut him off.

"What about my suspension?" Lee questioned.

"Well, Mr. Stetson, you're no longer under suspicion for the shooting of Veronica Tucker, however, there is another matter we haven't completed investigating yet," Mrs. Frampton began to explain.

Amanda's eyes widened as she asked, "Mrs. Frampton? Mr. Stetson was right there with us. What else could there possibly be?"

Mrs. Frampton looked at each of them, her eyes settling on Lee's face as she said, "Conspiracy Entrapment."

Lee clenched his jaw, the muscles twitching wildly as he rolled his tongue across his teeth fighting the urge to yell. Rubbing his face several times, he finally said slowly, "And how did you come up with that? Did Dr. Smythe give you that idea?"

Mrs. Frampton wrung her hands together before replying. "No, Mr. Stetson, this committee has spent a long time trying to decide how liable you are. You knew Ms. Tucker was following you. You called Mr. Melrose yourself, did you not?"

"Yes, he did," Billy answered quickly.

"And you were aware of your surroundings at the time, Mr. Stetson?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I knew where I was and I knew I had to get Veronica to follow me to a place where, if something were to happen, she could cause the least amount of damage. You forget, Mrs. Frampton, I've dealt with Veronica Tucker before. I saw what she did to three agents before I put a bullet in her shoulder," Lee spoke harshly. Amanda slipped her hand under the table to rub his knee, trying to calm him.

"Yes, you are correct, Mr. Stetson, you have dealt with her before. And if the reports I read were correct, you also had a sexual relationship with Ms. Tucker," Mrs. Frampton pulled the original shooting report out of the folder before her.

"Yes, ten years ago, I did. That was before I found out who she really was and what she was really capable of. But that doesn't mean I lured her anywhere to force her into a situation where she would shoot someone again. I tried to keep her away from innocent bystanders. I called for backup thinking maybe, just maybe, we could get her to surrender without an incident," Lee started to stand in anger before he felt Amanda's hand tugging on his elbow. Sitting back down in his seat, he crossed his arms defiantly.

Mrs. Frampton leaned forward on her elbows before stating, "Mr. Stetson, this committee sympathizes with your situation. We truly do. We understand it's a judgment call and in this case, that call cost Ms. Tucker her life."

"And I took a bullet in my hip for that. Do you know how much that hurts?" Edwards interjected.

Francine narrowed her eyes and looked at him. Between clenched teeth, she said, "And you'll feel more pain if you don't shut up now, Edwards."

"Mrs. Frampton, I'm sure you can agree that Lee…. Mr. Stetson has had an excellent record the last few years and during that time, he has never done anything like what you are suggesting now," Amanda said, gestured at Lee as she spoke. "Ms. Desmond, Mr. Edwards and I were all there a few minutes ahead and Mr. Stetson was doing his best to stay out of her line of fire and keep her talking. She was saying some pretty awful things."

Shaking her head, Mrs. Frampton answered, "Mrs. King, we are not saying that Mr. Stetson lured her there under the pretense of murdering Ms. Tucker, we just need to be sure he didn't trick her into drawing her weapon, therefore causing the domino effect."

Francine turned toward the end of the conference table and stood slowly as she began, "Mrs. Frampton, I know you read our reports and you saw the video and heard the witnesses but you weren't there. Lee was barely out of his car when Veronica tried to run him over. He was hiding behind a van as she started firing shots at him. Can you honestly tell me you think he tried to … to…. set her up? She admitted she killed Noves, she admitted she was after Dr. Schavesky. So, how can you say Scarecrow lured her there for anything other than to try to take her into custody as quietly and safely as possible?"

Standing, Mrs. Frampton gestured for the other agents to follow her. "You'll receive our findings in another day or two," she said as she left the conference room.

As the door softly closed, Amanda patted Lee's arm and said, "I'm sorry. I tried. I just thought maybe she would understand."

Covering her hand with his, Lee replied, "I know you did. Thank you. I don't know if she would have listened to any of us right now."

"I don't know who that woman is, but she scares me," Edwards piped up.

"Just shut up, Edwards, okay? You don't have any clue how lucky you are right now that you are sitting in front of that woman with us because I'll tell you, she can give a whole new meaning to the word miserable," Francine declared. "Now, do you want me to drive you back to your apartment now or do you want me to call you a cab?"

Edwards looked at Francine then at Amanda and said, 'Well, I was hoping maybe Mrs. King wouldn't mind driving me home."


	39. Chapter 39

Lee's head snapped in Billy's direction with a pointed glare as soon as Edwards spoke. Billy raised an eyebrow in response. With an idea in mind, Billy said, "Tom, why don't you stay here for a few minutes and rest. I need to talk to Ms. Desmond, Mrs. King, and Scarecrow in my office. We shouldn't be too long."

Francine looked at Billy confused but replied, "Yeah, Edwards, don't go anywhere or I'll shoot you myself."

In Billy's office, he waited until the door was closed tight before speaking. "Amanda, I understand there has been an issue with Edwards so I have a plan. We need to figure out why he continues to push himself onto you so I'd like you to go back into that conference room. It is completely wired with surveillance so Lee, Francine and I will be watching and listening. See if you can get him to talk, find out what's going on in his head."

"Sir, I'll do whatever you want me to do but he makes me feel….." Amanda began but stopped.

"What? What is it, Amanda?" Billy encouraged.

Taking a deep breath, Amanda replied, "He makes me feel uncomfortable. Like the grabber but without the touching."

Lee clenched his jaw again, the muscles dancing under his skin. Billy could see how Amanda's comments were affecting Lee so he made a suggestion. "Amanda, I'd like to get to the bottom of this, now. The only way we can do that is if you talk to him. If I send Scarecrow in there, he probably won't come out alive," he joked.

Amanda couldn't suppress the giggle that came out so she said, "Ok, what do you want me to do?"

Billy smiled at her, "Just talk to him, tell him he makes you uncomfortable and ask him why he keeps …." Billy stopped, not sure of the correct word he wanted to use when Lee spoke.

"Why he keeps hitting on her? Come on, Billy, you know Amanda's not going to ask him that," he said sourly.

"No, not like that but I can ask him why he wants to get to know me like he does," Amanda replied. Turning to Billy, she said, "Now, you're sure you'll be able to hear everything and see everything, right?"

Francine reached out and touched Amanda's shoulder as she said, "I'll break his legs if he does anything to you, don't you worry."

"Thank you, Francine, but I don't think that's going to be necessary. I'll give you all a minute to head to the observation room then I'll bring him some water," Amanda informed them. The trio left Billy's office and once they were out of Amanda's line of sight, she took a deep breath and headed toward the water cooler where one of the girls from the Steno pool was standing.

As she approached, the girl asked her, "Mrs. King? Is it really true that Tom Edwards has a broken hip after being shot?"

Amanda nodded and said, "Yes, he does. He's waiting in the conference room for us to drive him home." She leaned forward to fill a small cup of water.

"And you and Scarecrow… Are you really getting married? This isn't some cover for an assignment?" the girl questioned her again.

Amanda smiled and holding up her left hand she replied, "Yes, October third we are really getting married."

The girl's eyes widened as she grabbed Amanda's hand to look at her ring. Then she looked at Amanda and studied her for a minute before leaning forward and asking, "Are you pregnant?"

Amanda pulled her hand back, pursed her lips and stated firmly, "Not that it's any of your business but the day has a special meaning for us." Looking around quickly, Amanda dropped her voice to add, "And, no, I am not pregnant!" Turning, she stormed off toward the conference room, her mood darker than before. Standing outside the room, she took a deep breath before opening the door and plastering a smile on her face.

Stepping into the conference room, Edwards was still sitting in the same chair they left him in, playing with a pen. "Amanda… I thought everyone forgot about me," he said, his face lighting up when he saw her.

Amanda sat down in a chair across from him, trying to decide what to say to him. Finally, she had a thought, "So, Tom, where did you grow up?"

Tilting his head slightly, he looked at her confused before replying, "Um… well…. I was born in New Hampshire, and we lived right on Lake Winnepesauke until I was 13 before moving to DC. My dad was into local politics when I was a kid so he came here to try to move up, so to speak. He… he… was killed in a car accident about four years ago… a drunk driver…." Tom stopped talking, spinning the pen around in circles.

"Oh, I'm so sorry… I didn't know…. What about your mom? Is she still... " Amanda asked quietly.

"Mom moved back to New Hampshire. She said there were too many painful memories here. I was still in college. I had just moved into my apartment. You know, you remind me a lot of her," Edwards smiled.

"Your mother?" Amanda asked, surprised.

"Yes, she's beautiful too. Caring, loving, just like you… or at least the you I've seen. My mom doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Amanda…. You have a wonderful calming presence, you know that?" Edwards smiled at her again.

Amanda sat back in her chair and folded her arms protectively across her chest. Biting her lip, she finally said, "Tom, those are very nice things you just said, but you know Lee and I are getting married in a few more weeks. I love him. You and I can never have more than a working relationship."

"Can I ask you a question? What do you see in him? I mean, yeah, he's tall… I guess you can call him handsome… he's a good shot but he's …. I don't know…. Arrogant…." Tom said slowly.

In the observation room, Lee was clenching his fists muttering, "I'm gonna kill him."

Billy simply shook his head before saying, "You're not going to kill him, Scarecrow. Just let Amanda finish this. You know she has the best Class C interrogations skills around. She'll get to the bottom of this."

"In the meantime, she's uncomfortable. Billy, just look at her. She looks like she wants to crawl into the corner right now," Lee said loudly as he thrust his hand toward the glass.

Back in the conference room, Amanda stood and walked around the table to stand beside Edwards. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she said, "Tom, Lee is a very caring man. He and I have been partners for four years and it's because of him I am the agent I am today. He's patient, kind, and has such a big heart. He used to be a lot like you but he's grown, changed. I think he needed to find the right partner to do that. You'll learn that too. But right now, you need to be careful how you talk to the other agents around here. You're still new and well, not everyone knows that. You're friendly, especially with the Steno pool."

"Yeah, that Mary down there… wow… I could tell you a story that would make your head spin…" Edwards sighed.

"I think I've heard a few 'Mary' stories so probably not. But listen, you and I… it's never going to be more than a working relationship," Amanda pulled the chair out beside him to sit down. "You have a lot to learn as an agent, Tom, but you'll get there."

Without warning, Edwards pulled her close and kissed her. Amanda tried to push him away but he wouldn't let go. She was still struggling when she felt him jerked away, Lee holding him tightly to the wall, his forearm pressed to his throat. Billy ran into the room behind Lee hollering, "Scarecrow! Scarecrow! Let him go! Dammit man, don't kill him!"

Francine was only steps behind Billy, immediately going to Amanda, "Are you okay? I knew this was a bad idea!"

Amanda was startled by all the confusion but finally managed to say, "I'm fine, Francine. Really." Standing, she moved to where Lee still held a struggling Edwards against the wall, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Lee, let him go. I'm fine…."

Looking at Amanda, Lee finally released his grip on Edwards who's face had gone white in panic. "If you ever touch her again, it will be the last thing you do!" Lee pointed at Edwards, his breath hot on his face.

"Amanda, what Edwards did is unexcusable and is borderline sexual harassment. Do you want to submit a formal complaint?" Billy asked pointedly.

Amanda shook her head, "No. Because it's never going to happen again. Not to me, not to anyone else here. Tom, you have a lot to learn here and I think you just learned your first lesson. Don't ever mess with another Agent's partner or another man's soon to be wife."


	40. Chapter 40

Lee was pacing the Q Bureau angrily, occasionally picking up whatever was in reach and throwing it. Amanda sat at her desk, just watching and waiting for him to settle down. She had tried to talk to him but he wasn't ready to listen yet. It wasn't until he picked up his prized Harmon Killebrew baseball and cocked his arm back that she stepped forward to remove it from his hand. "Give me that before you actually break something!" she reprimanded him. "Now sit down over there and let's talk about this."

"Talk about it? Amanda, the guy forced himself on you in that conference room and you want me to sit here and talk about it?!" Lee shouted.

"Shhh, keep your voice down. We can talk about this like rational adults. After all, that's what we are, right? Adults?" Amanda stood firm, her hands on her hips.

Frustrated, Lee ran his fingers through his hair. He shook his head as he bit the inside of his cheek. Finally, he threw his hands in the air and plopped himself down on the couch, replying, "Happy now?"

Sighing loudly, Amanda leaned back on the edge of her desk and folded her arms across her chest but did not answer him.

Lee copied her action, folding his own arms, one leg bouncing nervously as he stared back at her. After almost a full minute, he finally broke the silence, "Fine then, what do you want to talk about, huh? Do you want me to just forgive him for kissing you or should I just forget that he wouldn't let you go? Or maybe I should just pretend none of it happened?"

"Lee, staying angry at him isn't going to change what he did. I'm not exactly happy about it either but I can continue to be angry or …." Amanda stopped when Lee rolled his eyes. When he looked back at her she continued, "OR we can move on and he can learn from his mistake."

"Learn from his mistake? Amanda, what do you think would have happened if I didn't grab him? Do you think he would have stopped with a simple kiss? NO…. he would have taken that as an invitation … an opening…. For the next time and the next time after that. And then when would it end?" Lee clenched his jaw again, his anger seething, he hung his head.

"Mr. Melrose assured me he will not be here for the next few weeks while his hip heals which means he will not be around us at all. Which means we move on from this, we go on vacation with the boys and then we get married. By the time Edwards even remotely gets back in this building, we will be on our honeymoon. Just the two of us, no Agency, no Edwards," Amanda crossed the room to crouch down before Lee. Putting her fingers under his chin, she lifted his head to look into his hazel eyes. "Lee, he's never going to have me. I'm all yours, remember?"

"Amanda, do you know what it felt like to see him kissing you like that? I mean, you're my wife, dammit!" Lee sat back quickly, knocking Amanda off balance and onto the floor. They were both surprised when the door opened and Francine entered, a confused look on her face. Looking quickly back at Lee, Amanda raised an eyebrow at him.

"Scarecrow, why are you still here? I thought you two were leaving?" Francine asked as she opened the vault.

"We were going to leave but Amanda thought I needed to cool down first before I got in the car," Lee explained.

Inside the fault, Francine pulled files out of several drawers. Carrying them back into the office she replied, "Billy sent me up to find any files where Poda was connected. Hopefully, we can find something to give us a clue about what he might be up to now. We know he's after Dr. Shchavesky but there must be something else," she hugged the files closer to her chest. "I'm… ah… going to head back downstairs…. I'll see you two later."

"Francine, wait," Amanda stopped her as she attempted to get off the floor. Lee offered a hand to help her up which she gladly accepted. Finally, on her feet, she stood beside Francine and said, "Let me help. Lee needs to cool off still. Maybe a trip down to the shooting range or a visit to Stanley would help."

"No, I'm going to make a phone call first…. I'll meet you in Billy's office. I'm fine… better than before... " Lee said slowly.

"Are you sure?" Francine asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "You look a little pale. Maybe you should just go home. Today's been a tough day… for all of us. We've all done things today… said things…. Well… I don't have to tell you how important communication is…."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, Francine. I'm just going to make one phone call. You both go, Billy's going to need Amanda completely up to speed on Poda, the last pictures we have of him, any contacts he has in the DC area we know about," Lee counted off each item with a tap to his fingers.

Amanda looked at Lee once more before following Francine into the hallway. Closing the door behind them, Francine began walking toward the stairs but stopped and said, "Amanda, Lee seems…. I'm not sure what the word is…. I've never seen him like this. Well, that's not true… I've only seen him like this once before. When Addi Birol had you. He just seems so, so…"

"Francine, Lee's fine. He's upset because of what happened and he's still on suspension and can't do much. After all…. I'm his…" Amanda began but was surprised when Francine cut her off.

"Wife… well, almost wife. Isn't that what he just said. I couldn't help overhearing. Listen, Amanda, if Lee's being this protective of you now and you're not even married yet, how is he going to be when you are? I know it might not be my place to say anything but you and I are a lot closer than we used to be and well…. I just don't want to see anything happen to you both," Francine explained.

Holding her hands up, Amanda stated, "Francine, Lee and I are fine. He's always had a little bit of a jealous streak but that's not what this was about. What Edwards did… what he continues to do… isn't right. The one thing you and I both know is Lee treats women with respect, especially ones involved in relationships. Edwards crossed a line."

"And you don't think it's a bit excessive? Lee's reaction I mean," Francine asked.

Amanda shook her head, "No, I think he's more bothered by what Edwards is doing not who he is doing it to."

Francine started walking again without saying a word, Amanda following. In the elevator, Francine's demeanor switched from the caring friend she was in the hall to the hard-edged agent they both knew they needed to be. Handing Amanda the stack of files, Francine instructed, "You get copies made of these, that way we can go through them together. See if Beamon will help you. Oh and find out everything you can about Dr. Shchavesky. There must be some kind of a connection, not just what Veronica said."

"Will do. Do you need me to contact Senator Michaels too? Let him know we'll be there Wednesday night?" Amanda asked.

Nodding, Francine stated, "Definitely. Get Billy to give us some backup. Without Lee there, we're going to need it."

Amanda headed toward Beamon's office, the files in hand when she bumped into Leatherneck coming around the corner. The files slipped from her hands, fluttering to the floor.

"Oh, Mrs. King… I'm so sorry… here, let me help you with those. I wasn't looking where I was going," Leatherneck leaned down and started collecting the loose pages.

Amanda bent down to help him, "It's ok, Leatherneck, I wasn't watching where I was going either. A little distracted I guess."

"Yeah, I heard about what happened with that new kid, Edwards. Look, Mrs. King, I'm really sorry he behaved that way. I tried to warn him about Scarecrow but I don't know what's wrong with the kid. It's like he doesn't listen to any superior that tells him something, you know what I mean?" Leatherneck replied.

Amanda had an idea as Leatherneck was talking, "You know what, Leatherneck, I think I do. Did you see Beamon in his office by any chance?"

"Yeah, I think I did when I walked by…." Leatherneck replied sounding confused.

"Thank you, Leatherneck…. You may have just solved Edwards entire problem!" Amanda stated as she hurried toward Beamon's office, leaving Leatherneck scratching his head, staring after her.

In Beamon's office, Amanda found him leaning over his desk, reading the latest Agency research on counter surveillance. "Beamon, Francine and I need your help!" Amanda declared loudly as she entered. Beamon looked up at her and adjusted his glasses.

"Ah, Mrs. King…. What can I do for you and… Francine, did you say?" Beamon asked.

"We need to make copies of all these files but Leatherneck and I just collided in the hall and now they're all mixed together. I need to make a phone call… do you think you could sort them out for me? Please? Francine will be so angry with me when she finds out I've…." Amanda spoke quickly, Beamon interrupting her.

"Slow down, slow down, Mrs. King. Yes, I'll help sort these out and make copies for you while you make your phone call. Is there anything, in particular, Francine is looking for in all of these?" Beamon asked reassuringly.

Amanda handed him the documents as she said, "Poda escaped surveillance in Boston and Billy thinks he's headed here to go after Dr. Shchavesky still. We're trying to find any contact he may have here in DC as well as any pictures in these files."

"Shchavesky… Shchavesky… isn't he that scientist from Russia that's been helping the Defense Department?" Beamon pushed his glasses back up again.

"Yes, Dr. Shchavesky been helping determine the best method for dismantling and storage of the missiles," Amanda explained.

"And Poda… didn't I hear a rumor he was working with Veronica Tucker trying to sell Shchavesky back to the Russians?" Beamon asked as he started flipping through the pages, sorting them out on his desk.

"Beamon, I hate to just run out but I really need to make this call. Thanks so much for helping with this. When you're done…. I'll meet you in the conference room?" Amanda asked as she made her way toward the door.

"Sure thing, Mrs. King. Just give me about twenty minutes to sort this out," Beamon waved at her as she made her way toward the bullpen and Francine's desk.


	41. Chapter 41

Amanda found Francine's desk empty and looking around the bullpen she didn't see her. Sitting down at Francine's computer, she pulled up personnel records and found Edwards' mother telephone number in Windham, New Hampshire. Taking a chance, Amanda dialed the number and as the phone rang, she whispered, "Please be home, please be home, please be…"

A woman's voice answered on the other line, "Hello?"

Amanda smiled, took a deep breath and said, "Hello, is this Mrs. Edwards? Mrs. Karen Edwards?"

"Yes, can I help you?" the voice asked.

Biting her bottom lip, Amanda said, "My name is Amanda King, I'm calling from International Federal Film. Mrs. Edwards, you have a son… Tom?"

With an exasperated sigh, Mrs. Edwards asked, "Who is Tommy bothering now?"

"Bothering? Mrs. Edwards, I'm not sure I understand the question. I was just calling to…" Amanda tried hard to hide the surprise in her voice as her eyebrows shot up immediately.

"Mrs. King? I know all about IFF… Tommy was so excited when he found out the Agency wanted him, despite his…. Problems…." Mrs. Edwards cut her off.

"Problems? Mrs. Edwards, I can assure you I was simply calling…" Amanda tried again but Mrs. Edwards began talking over her.

"Tommy has a problem respecting boundaries…. Ever since his father died four years ago he seemed to push everyone he could find. Doesn't matter who or what it is, professors at school, women, girlfriends, even the local police. So who is it this time and how much damage is there?" Mrs. Edwards questioned firmly.

"Well, Mrs. Edwards… the who is…. Well….the who is me and well, I know he's still a new agent here and well, did he tell you he was hurt during an investigation the other day?" Amanda tried a different tactic.

Mrs. Edwards immediately sounded panicked, "Hurt? How hurt is hurt? Tommy didn't call me, no one did!"

Amanda spoke softly to calm her, "He's going to be fine, he's got a fractured hip but he's going to be fine, really."

"A fractured hip? How did he… no... I don't want to know. As far as I'm concerned Tommy brought that on himself. Consider it karma for all the times he's hurt others," Mrs. Edwards said with a heavy sigh.

"Mrs. Edwards, I just need to ask. Is there a way to… curb… his behavior? I mean, he didn't get into the Agency on just his skills as an agent," Amanda asked.

"Mrs. King….you're married I presume," Mrs. Edwards stated.

A small smile crossed her face as she replied, "Yes, I was….and I'm getting married again in a few weeks."

"And do you think your new husband would want a young hotshot like my son bothering you at work every day?" she asked.

"Well, you see that's where we run into a small problem. He works here, too, and I'm afraid…" Amanda bit her lip again.

"The only way my son is going to stop is if someone stops him. We've tried… When his father died, he started acting out like this. One of his ex-girlfriends threatened to press charges if he didn't leave her alone. And he did, then he moved onto the next girl and the next one after that. I just don't understand him anymore," Mrs. Edwards said sadly.

"When his father died, did he... did he have any type of grief counseling?" Amanda asked.

Mrs. Edwards was quiet for a few seconds before she replied, "No, no he didn't. I could barely focus on myself never mind what was going on with Tommy."

Amanda twisted the phone cord nervously as she glanced around and spotted Francine walking toward her. "Mrs. Edwards, I'll make sure he gets the help he needs. Trust me. I have just the person in mind. I need to go now, but I'll keep you up to date, how's that sound?" Amanda said quickly.

"I'm sorry if he's caused any problems with you and your…." Mrs. Edwards began and this time Amanda cut her off.

"No problem at all. I'll take care of that. Thank you and I'll be in touch. Have a good day. Bye-bye," Amanda said quickly as she hung up the phone, not waiting for a response, just as Francine reached her desk.

"Amanda, did you get those copies made?" Francine asked.

"I left them with Beamon. He said he'd take care of it and meet us in the conference room," Amanda replied as she stood.

Francine eyed her for a moment before asking, "Why do you have that look?"

Amanda shook her head, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What look? Francine, I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Don't try to fool me, Amanda King. I know you, remember. Who were you on the phone with just now?" Francine questioned her.

Looking around the bullpen, Amanda pulled Francine into the empty conference room. Closing the door, she turned and stated, "Mrs. Edwards."

"Mrs. Edwards? You called his mother? Amanda, what are you thinking?" Francine leaned on the table with one hand, the other cocked on her hip.

Amanda put her hand on Francine's shoulder as she said, "He's hurting and he's acting out. He has been since his father died. I think he needs to talk to someone. Like Dr. Pfaff."

"Pfaff? You think he needs a shrink? What that boy needs is a swift kick in the…" Francine said sourly.

"No, Francine, he needs to understand why he's acting out. His mother said all this started after his father died and she moved back to New Hampshire. I don't know…. I just don't see him as a predator…. I think he's misguided," Amanda said.

"Misguided? Amanda! He practically assaulted you, right here in this very room! If Lee didn't drag him off you…" Francine was shocked at how calm Amanda was.

Amanda shook her head, "I don't think he would have done anything more than what he did. Dr. Pfaff can help him, I know he can."

Francine shook her head and blinked slowly then replied, "You know, Amanda, sometimes I don't understand how your mind works, but if you think Dr. Pfaff can help him, talk to Billy and make it happen."

"Make what happen?" Beamon asked as he entered the conference room causing both women to jump. "Your copies, Mrs. King, Francine."

"Thank you, Beamon. Listen, were you able to find anything when you were looking through the documents?" Amanda asked, ignoring his first question.

"Not much, but I did find Poda owns a property here. I found it buried amongst the pages in the Miller file. Turns out he inherited it from his great-grandmother, Agnes Poda-Miller. His uncle, Edwin Miller was investigated a few years back for peddling blueprints to some of our government buildings to the Russians. We couldn't prove anything and when his uncle died, the house sat in probate until Poda claimed it about four months ago," Beamon explained as he laid the files out on the table.

"Good work, Beamon. I may just owe you dinner for that find!" Francine exclaimed.

Beamon smiled weakly at Francine and replied, "I'm not so sure Jonathan would appreciate that, Francine. But thanks."

Francine put her hand on Beamon's arm as she replied, "We're friends, Effram, we always will be. Jonathan and I are currently in a holding pattern so that doesn't mean that friends can't buy friends dinner."

Blushing, Beamon looked down at the table and said, "We should…. Um….. we should probably finish going through these, see what else we can find."

Amanda smiled at the two of them as she replied, "Let's see what we can find."

The trio poured over every document, finding a few more links to individuals located in and around the DC area. Beamon offered to send the list to surveillance and have everyone accounted for while Francine and Amanda checked out the house Poda inherited.


	42. Chapter 42

Amanda stopped at Billy's office and explained her theory to him about Edwards' behavior. Surprisingly he agreed and said he would make the call to Pfaff. They would schedule appointments with Dr. Pfaff under the guise it was standard procedure for anyone injured in the line of duty. "Good work, Amanda. I think we were all so busy seeing the damage we thought he was causing, to see there may be a real reason behind it," Billy commended her.

"Thank you, Sir. Francine and I are going to look at a few leads including a property Beamon found Poda owns," Amanda explained.

"What about Scarecrow? Has he calmed down yet?" Billy asked, knowing Lee could have a temper.

Amanda nodded, "I think so. Sir, you don't really think Internal Affairs will charge him with…"

Shaking his head, Billy replied firmly, "No. I think this is another scare tactic of Dr. Smythe's. He thinks he can manipulate everyone, only this time, he's wrong. He picked the wrong agents for that. But on a lighter note, how are the wedding plans coming?" Billy smiled genuinely at Amanda, glad she and Lee had finally stopped denying what everyone else had seen for so long.

"Our wedding is under control. Mother is in her glory tying up all the last minute details. We have Joe's wedding this weekend so we've been focusing on getting the boys ready for that. I'm glad we decided on a small guest list with just the people we really want there," Amanda explained, smiling.

"How many attendees will you and Lee have?" Billy asked, curious. He didn't care, the Cumberland was booked just for Lee and Amanda's wedding for the weekend, no other guests.

"I think our final count is forty-three including Dr. Smythe although I'd like to take back his invitation," Amanda admitted. Sighing, she continued, "I better go back upstairs and let Lee know what's going on. Francine and I should be back later this afternoon hopefully with some answers."

"Good work, Amanda, keep me posted." Billy picked up the phone as Amanda left, dialing Dr. Pfaff's office.

In the Q Bureau, Amanda could hear Lee on the phone. Opening the door slowly, as Amanda stepped inside, Lee smiled at her and said, "That's great news, Barney. I'm so glad you and Gus will be able to make it. I'll let Amanda know. Talk to you soon." He hung up the phone and looked up at Amanda, "Hey, I was wondering when you were coming back. Did you find anything?"

Amanda could tell he was much calmer than when she had left him. She released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding and explained how Beamon had found a few links and the property. "Francine and I are going to head over there in a few minutes," she said.

"Amanda, this whole thing with Edwards…" Lee began as he ran his hand through his hair, "I just don't want to you to get hurt. He could be dangerous in ways we don't…"

"I called his mother," Amanda interrupted Lee.

"You did what?" Lee couldn't believe what she just said.

Amanda sat on the edge of Lee's desk and said, "If one of my boys were acting out, I would want to know why. The only way to find out is to go to the person they may be closest to. His father's gone so the next logical person would be his mother. He's only been acting out like this since his father died. I believe he's hurting and Billy agreed to set him up with some counseling sessions with Dr. Pfaff."

"You really think it's as simple as that? Sit him down with the shrink and he sends him on his way? Amanda, the guy is … is…." Lee sputtered angrily.

Amanda put her hand on Lee's shoulder and said, "Sweetheart, he's not what you think he is. Trust me on this one. I just have a feeling on this."

"Amanda, how can you say he's not what I think? You really don't want to know what I think!" Lee shouted angrily.

Touching his cheek gently to try to calm him, Amanda replied, "Do you really think I would allow myself to be taken in by someone like him? I've seen enough bad guys by now to know how to handle myself. Besides, he's still young, probably angry about his father's death. Remember how angry you were when you found out Blackthorne was involved? I just have a feeling that it's more than you and I understand but Dr. Pfaff can get to the bottom of it."

"Amanda, you know I love you and I'm just worried about you with him but when it comes to parenting and the Mom intuition I guess this is one of those times you have more experience than I do," Lee conceded.

"I know you're worried but I promise you, I'm right on this one," Amanda leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Leaning back she asked, "Who were you talking to a few minutes ago?"

Lee said, "By the way, I just got off the phone with Barney. He and Gus will be able to make it to our wedding after all. So that brings our guest list up to how many?"

Smiling, Amanda leaned forward and kissed Lee on the cheek and said, "Forty-five. Now, all we need to do is confirm the rooms with Billy and the meals with the Cumberland. I still can't believe he's paying for this. Billy's a great friend."

"The best. Listen, you should probably get going. Francine will send out the search party if you don't get back downstairs. I'm going to wrap up a few things around here then head to my apartment. Who knows, maybe I'll pick up some boxes on my way and start packing some things up," Lee smiled.

"Hmmm, sounds like a good plan to me. Did you talk to Acquisitions or the Agency bank yet?" Amanda asked.

Lee stood and directed Amanda toward the door saying, "I'll take care of that before I leave. Now you should go before…"

"Before what, Scarecrow? I'm surprised to find you still in the building or didn't Mrs. Frampton remind you-you're still on suspension?" Dr. Smyth asked as he pushed open the door.

Lee immediately tensed up, the muscle in his neck twitching. "I'm well aware of the fact I'm still on suspension. We were here for that meeting and I had a few phone calls to make while Amanda and Francine were working on finding any links to Poda," he stated angrily.

"Scarecrow, as far as I'm concerned, right now you don't have a reason to be here. Vamoose, skedaddle, go fly, birdie, fly away home," Dr. Smyth shooed his hands at Lee as if he were sweeping a fly away.

"Sir, with all due respect, Lee certainly should be here," Amanda began but Dr. Smyth cut her off quickly.

"Why? Give me one good reason he should still be here, never mind why he should still have a job at this Agency. He lead that woman to her death as far as I'm concerned…" Dr. Smyth waved his cigarette holder around.

"That woman shot a rookie agent and almost shot one of us in the process. That woman used to peddle people like cattle. That woman nearly killed three agents ten years ago…." Lee snapped.

"And yet you still managed to find your way into her bed now didn't you, my boy. With your current taste in women, I'd say you don't like it rough anymore, do you? Or maybe Mrs. King here has a side we haven't seen…" Dr. Smyth raised an eyebrow as he puffed on his holder.

Amanda's face reddened as much from embarrassment at his comment as it did with anger. Gritting her teeth she said, "Dr. Smyth, what happened ten years ago between Lee and Veronica Tucker and what happens now is  _none_  of your business! Lee has been a… a….damn good agent all these years and for you to … to…. Insinuate otherwise… well, I'm too much of a lady to tell you what I really think!" Pivoting, Amanda rushed out of the office, tears stinging her eyes as Lee continued to glare at Dr. Smyth.

Lee heard the door at the end of the hall slam as he brushed past Dr. Smyth calling, "Amanda?" He ran down the hall and down the stairs, catching her before she was able to step outside. "Hey! Hey! Don't let him rattle you! Remember, he thrives on that. We can't let him get to us. Especially not now." in an attempt to soothe Amanda's anger, Lee pulled Amanda into his arms. "You need to pull it together and head out with Francine. I'm gonna head to my apartment. Have Francine drop you off there later, okay?"

Wiping her face, Amanda squared her shoulders. "You're right. We can't let him get to us. I'll see you at your place later," she said before turning and stepping into the elevator.


	43. Chapter 43

Hours later, Lee was surrounded by half-filled boxes and unidentified newspaper wrapped items. Hearing the key in the lock, Lee looked up to see Amanda walking in followed by Francine. Surveying the boxes, Francine commented with a grin, "What's the matter, Scarecrow, can't find your Tibetan Ram's horn you got trading a couple of chocolate bars and a bottle of Dom Perignon or was it the one you got from that…"

"Neither, Francine!" Lee cut her off before she could say anything else. Laughing, he continued, "I was just packing up some things while I had the time." Turning to Amanda, he said, "I went down to Acquisitions today after you left. The inspection came back fine. They are working on drawing up the papers. Once this whole thing with Internal Affairs blows over, we can sign everything."

Amanda couldn't help but smile at Lee's enthusiasm. Crossing the room, she hugged him, "Oh, Sweetheart! You really think it's just going to blow over? You don't think Dr. Smyth is going to try to pull something else?"

"Dr. Smyth can try but there's nothing. He has nothing," Lee stated firmly.

Francine picked up a book and flipped through the pages before putting it down again. "Lee, you know how Dr. Smyth can be, but I want you to know, no matter what happens, you know Billy and I are here for you… for you both."

"How did you make out this afternoon?" Lee sat against the edge of the couch, holding Amanda's hand.

"Well, someone's definitely been there recently. Not sure if it was Poda himself but we've got the house under twenty-four surveillance now. We managed to round up a couple of his contacts but, so far, no one's cracked. They either don't know where he is or they're too afraid of the repercussions if they do," Francine explained. Looking around the room one more time, she announced, "I should get going. Amanda, I'll work on my report now but if you can drop yours off in the morning, Billy will be up-to-date on what we found this afternoon."

"Thanks, Francine. I'll be there first thing," Amanda stood and walked toward the front door to let Francine out. "And thanks for the ride here."

"Have a good night, you two," Francine said as she left, leaving Amanda and Lee staring at the boxes in the room.

"So, how much progress did you actually make?" Amanda teased as she walked around peeking into one box and another.

"I'll have you know, I got through quite a bit. AND I've made three trips to the dumpster outside throwing things away you thought I never would. I know I said before parts of my past are classified but I've been thinking...I don't want anything with you to be classified. I don't need STUFF to remind me of my past cases or my past life. " Lee took her hands in his. "Besides, it is only STUFF after all and our future is a clean slate right now. I for one can't wait to start moving forward with you."

"Aw, Sweetheart. I can't believe you did that. And this… all this…. I don't know what to say?" Amanda looked around at the boxes.

"Don't say anything," Lee smiled. Crossing the room, he wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. He kissed her lightly on the lips before showering her jaw and neck with teasing kisses.

Amanda sighed happily, "What's gotten into you today?"

Lee continued teasing her skin, "I don't want to talk about today. I don't want to talk at all." Without warning, he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom where Amanda could see more boxes stacked against the wall.

"Lee! How many boxes did you pack today?!" she exclaimed as he lowered her to her feet.

"I lost count at twenty-three but most of them were books, records, winter clothes, things I don't need right now," Lee explained. He began pulling at the hem of her sweater, swiftly sweeping it over her head. When he tossed it aside, the garment landed on top of one stack of boxes causing Amanda to laugh. "What's so funny?" he asked as he began to slip her bra strap over her shoulder, exposing the soft skin of her breast.

"You!" Amanda laughed again. She inhaled sharply as his hand cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing across the sensitive puckered tip. She followed his lead, grasping at the sweatshirt he wore, tugging on it. Lee released her, taking a step back to yank the sweatshirt off his body, balling it up and throwing it toward the boxes along with her sweater. Stepping back to Amanda, she immediately ran her hands across his chest, up his shoulders and linked them behind Lee's neck, pulling him close for another kiss. Wrapping his hands around her waist, he held her close as their tongues tangled.

The kiss broke when they were both gasping for air. Lee drummed his fingers lightly across Amanda's lower back, tickling her. "Um… stop… that tickles," she said as she tried to wiggle free.

"I know," he teased. Smiling, he scooped her legs up and lifted her, laying her onto the bed. Covering her body with his, he began a sensual assault with his mouth on her neck, along her collarbone and her breasts as his hands lightly skimmed her sides, occasionally tickling her. She wiggled and writhed in both pleasure and frustration.

"Tickles… Lee…. " she moaned as she twisted to the side once again, right into the path of his mouth, but he simply laughed. After a few long minutes, he finally stopped her chest heaving between giggles.

"Is that better?" he teased.

Amanda narrowed her eyes at him as she thought of the best way to get her revenge on his antics. Lifting her chin she whispered, "Come here." When Lee leaned forward, she kissed him gently, sweetly as she rubbed his shoulders and back with her hands. "Your sweats are in the way, Sweetheart," she whispered into his ear.

"So is your skirt," he smiled back at her, dimples deep. Rolling off her, Lee sat on the edge of the bed to remove his sneakers and sweats.

Amanda sat up, then on her knees, unzipped her skirt and removed it along with her panties. Folding each item, she stacked them on the bedside table before turning back toward Lee. He was still sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her, his discarded clothes in a pile on the floor.

When she was finished, she reached over and ran her hand down Lee's spine, her fingers grazing lightly across the vertebrae. He arched in response, a growl of contentment escaped his lips. Laying back onto the bed, his legs still hanging off the side, Lee looked up at Amanda, his hazel eyes bright with longing and desire. Amanda leaned forward to kiss his forehead before crawling around his body to straddle him where he lay.

With her knees planted firmly on either side of his ribs, Amanda began tickling Lee, effectively pinning him where he was in retaliation for his antics a few minutes before. Lee tried bucking his hips slightly to dislodge her but her position on his stomach gave her more leverage. Although the tickling was distracting, he could feel the heat from her center on his stomach, drawing his attention. With a quick decision, he stopped fighting her titillating fingers and instead moved his hand to stroke her sensitive bud with his thumb where it was pressing against his skin.

"Ohh," Amanda gasped in surprise. Leaning forward, she licked and nipped at his bottom lip as he urged her body to give into the sensations his nimble fingers were creating. Lifting her hips just a little, she rocked against him as he flicked and caressed her.

Minutes passed as he watched her climb, her eyes darkening, her gasps deep and husky, her skin flush. He knew she was close and with a devilish smile, he stopped. Amanda opened her eyes, panting and whispered his name. "Lee… please" she begged.

"We'll get there. We can take it nice and slow from here, don't you think?" he asked lightly.

He was still smiling when she began tickling him again, pulling his knees up in a defensive motion. Amanda seeing she had the upper hand now, took advantage of his distraction, sliding her body back to align with his throbbing erection. Without a word, she sank down onto him, sheathing him completely in one move. She gasped as she threw her head back, arched her back and stilled.

"Amanda!" Lee moaned, completely taken by surprise. She squeezed her knees to his sides and rolled her hips once, then twice. "Manda…" Lee moaned again. He tried to push himself up, to give himself more leverage but Amanda squeezed her knees to his sides and rolled her hips again. "No fair," he groaned.

"Yes fair, you tickled me first," Amanda sighed back as she rolled her hips one more time slowly.

"Uh hmmm, and I'm going to start tickling you again if you don't…" Lee began as he nodded his head, trying to figure out a way he could get the upper hand again.

Amanda stopped moving completely and sat up. "If I don't what?" she challenged.

Lee finally found leverage by planting his foot on the edge of the bed. He wrapped his arms around her as he sat up quickly, taking her by surprise. He managed to flip Amanda over onto her back before she could utter anything more than a squeal. "Now…. where were we? Ah… tickling if I remember correctly," he smiled at her with a toothy grin.

"Ohhh noooo," Amanda replied, knowing that look on his face. She felt his fingers on her ribs before she had a chance to move away. "Lee, stop...stop…" she cried as she tried to push herself backward away from him without success.

"Stop? Oh? You want me to stop… what if I did this instead," he taunted her playfully as he teased her entrance before slowly sliding into her depths. Pulling out slowly, he pushed forward again.

"That… that's good," she breathed, reaching her hands around him, to hold him closer.

"Good, huh? Just good?" Lee said as he repeated his slow movements again.

Amanda shook her head and tried to tilt her hips as she said, "No, no better than good, Sweetheart… so much better than good."

Lee laughed loudly as he began to pick up the pace, Amanda's cries encouraged him to continue. When she was hovering on the brink of pleasure once again, he slowed his strokes once more to a slow maddening pace. Amanda wrapped her legs tighter around his, locking her heels together. Running her fingertips down his spine, she whispered in his ear, "Lee… don't stop… if you know what's good for you."

"I already know what's good for me and I think I found what's good for you, though, haven't I," Lee teased again.

"Oh, yes. I'd agree," Amanda half laughed and half moaned her response.

Pushing up onto straight arms, Lee thrust his hips forward hard and fast, drawing back once more before driving forward again. He was rewarded for his efforts when he heard Amanda whimpering then felt her tighten around him as she cried his name again. He continued the quick pace until he felt her body relax beneath his just before the familiar tightening in his belly signaled his own release was soon approaching. He emitted a low growl into her neck as he reached his own rapture, still buried deep within her.

Breathing heavily, Lee rolled to his side, taking Amanda with him so they were laying face to face. Amanda reached up and tenderly touched his face. "Tickling gets you nowhere," she said, a small smile on her face.

"No, tickling got me…. everywhere," Lee countered, smiling wider.

"Ohhhh, what am I going to do with you?" Amanda groaned, rolling onto her back.

Leaning over her, Lee winked as he said, "I can think of a few more things."


	44. Chapter 44

Tuesday morning, Amanda dropped the boys off at school before driving to Joe's office. He had called Monday night asking if she could swing by and talk to him. Lee assured her he would be fine and would let Billy know she would be in as soon as she could. He promised he would bring her report to Francine as well.

Sitting outside of Joe's office, Amanda took a deep breath, checked her lipstick in the rearview mirror before getting out. Looking around, she noticed a small sedan parked across the street. Thinking it was oddly familiar, Amanda hesitated for a moment but ignored the feeling as she entered Joe's office building. Thirty frustrating minutes later, Amanda climbed back into her car muttering, "He can't be serious. This has to be a joke." She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice the car or its occupant as it followed her.

Instead of driving directly to work, Amanda drove back home to talk to her mother. She was still muttering as she walked into the house. "Mother?" she called.

"Amanda? Is everything all right? Why are you home? I thought you were going to talk to Joe before going to work?" Dotty hammered questions at her, confused.

"I was, Mother. Joe just… I need to ask your opinion on something Joe just asked me to do," Amanda explained.

Dotty poured two cups of coffee, pushing one toward Amanda as she sat on a stool and said, "Out with it, Missy."

Taking a sip of the offered cup, Amanda sighed before saying, "Joe's mother… well, you know she's been gone for a long time and well…. He wants to know if you'll dance with him at the wedding. He was going to dance with Carrie's mom but she just hurt her foot and doesn't want to do it."

Dotty took a long sip of her coffee, blinking, without saying a word. "So you're saying Joe wants me to be a …. Stand in mother for him, for his wedding on Saturday?" she asked pointing at the air with her free hand.

Amanda shook her head, "I know it's a lot to ask, Mother. But Joe feels he's always had a good relationship with you and you've always had his back even when he and I made our decision to get a divorce. If you don't feel comfortable, you don't have to do this. They can just skip that part of the reception."

Placing the cup on the counter, Dotty stood and put her hands on Amanda's shoulders, "I think it's a wonderful idea. I mean, I know you and Lee are getting married in a few weeks but Joe's always been like a son to me. I'd be honored to do that for him."

Amanda's mouth gaped open, "You're sure?"

"Of course, darling. Why wouldn't I be? He is still the father of your boys, he does hold a special place in my heart. I never harbored any bad feelings toward him. I may not agree with all the choices he's made over the years but it doesn't change who he is. Now, you should get to work before you're any later than you already are," Dotty patted her shoulder one last time before leaving the kitchen.

"Of course Mother would be fine with it. Why wouldn't she be?" Amanda declared quietly. Raising her voice she called out, "Mother, I'm heading to work. I think Lee's picking the boys up this afternoon but I'll let you know if anything changes."

"All right, dear," Dotty called back as Amanda opened the front door.

Amanda was surprised when she stepped outside and found a man standing on her front steps. "Oh, hello. Can I help you?" she asked.

The man was dressed casually in jeans and red and blue flannel hunter style shirt and work boots. He sported a dark, scruffy beard peppered with grey to match the unkempt haircut he had as well. "Mrs. Amanda King?" he asked, his voice deep, only a hint of his accent was heard.

"Yes? Can I help you?" she asked again.

The man didn't reply immediately, he just looked up and down the street nervously.

"I'm very late for work so if you wouldn't mind…" she began but stopped as soon as she saw the gun he held in his hand as he brought his arm up beside him.

"You won't need to go to work. You're coming with me. I need you to help me find a friend of mine," the man said as he guided her toward the small sedan on her street.

Amanda looked around, hoping someone would see them but it was mid-morning and most of her neighbors were at work. She glanced back at the house, hoping her mother might be looking outside but again, no luck. Sighing she continued to walk toward the car as she asked, "I'm sorry, Mr….? I didn't catch your name."

"Poda… but that's of no bother to you," Poda replied as he opened the car door and pushed Amanda toward the front seat.

"Oh…. Mr. Poda…. I'm sure we can find your friend if you could just tell me who he is," Amanda replied with a surprised tone.

Climbing into the front seat, Poda kept the gun trained on Amanda as he steered the car away from the curb. "You know who I am looking for. Dr. Schavesky," he stated firmly. "And you  _will_ help me."

Amanda sighed a shaky breath as they drove silently out of her neighborhood.

Several hours later, Lee picked up the phone and dialed Amanda's home number. "Dotty, hi, it's Lee. Is Amanda there?" he asked, drumming his hand on the desk in front of him.

"Lee? No, she's not here. She left to go to the office hours ago. Or at least I thought that's what she told me but when I went outside her car was in the driveway," Dotty stated. "Lee? Is something going on?"

Lee glanced up at Francine and Billy who were standing in the Q Bureau with him, "No, nothing's wrong Dotty. Francine said she was going to pick her up. They must have headed to our production site already and I must have missed them. Um… listen, Dotty, um… I have a feeling Amanda and I are going to be pretty late tonight so I'm not going to be able to get the boys. Do you mind…" he explained.

"Say no more! I'll get the boys. But  _you_  will need to explain to them why they're not cooking tonight," Dotty laughed loudly.

Lee smiled nervously as he replied, "Yeah… I'll do that and make it up to them, I promise. Thanks, Dotty. I'll… ah… I'll give you a call in a bit… you know…. To check in."

Dotty smiled and replied, "Try not to work too hard. And tell Amanda next time she's going to change plans to let me know."

"As soon as I see her. Bye now," Lee stated, hanging up the phone as fast as he could. Once the receiver was in the cradle he stood. "I knew something was wrong. Amanda's mother said she left hours ago. Now, where the hell could she be?" Lee said angrily.

"Calm down, Scarecrow. She probably just…" Billy tried to be the voice of reason but Francine cut him off.

"I agree with Lee, something's going on," Francine stated.

"And I have a bad feeling about this, Billy," Lee finished her sentence.


	45. Chapter 45

Amanda sat on the edge of the hardwood chair beside a metal desk. Poda had brought her to a second-floor office not far from Edwards' apartment building. Thinking, Amanda began to formulate an idea. Poda was on the phone speaking in Russian rapidly. Amanda could only pick up a word or two she recognized but none of it made any sense to her.

As soon as he hung up the phone, she asked, "Mr. Poda? Do you have children?'

Confused by her question he narrowed his eyes at her and said, "No. Why?"

Amanda smiled sweetly as she said, "I have a little boy at home… well, right now he's at school but I was supposed to bring him but if I'm here then I can't really bring him there. And this is for a new dentist he's never been to before. He doesn't really like going to the dentist in the first place and a new dentist is just going to be scary and well, if I'm not the one bringing him then he's going to be awful scared …" she rambled.

Poda rolled his eyes as he said, "Your point."

Taking a deep breath, Amanda hoped her plan would work, "May I borrow your phone to call my husband? This way he can take him and our little boy won't be so scared because if he's scared then he's not going to go in and if he doesn't go in, he won't be able to get his teeth cleaned and well, I'm sure you understand the importance of healthy teeth. He's only lost a few of his baby teeth and his big teeth are just starting to come in so we need to keep them…"

"Fine! Just…. Stop talking!" Poda barked at her. Pushing the phone in Amanda's direction he snapped, "No games. I hear anything I don't like, you will be escorting Shchavesky to Russia… personally!"

Amanda swallowed hard before dialing the direct number for the Q Bureau. With a smile on her face, Amanda looked at Poda as she listened to the phone ring. As soon as she heard the phone lifted, she began speaking, hoping to catch Lee off guard so Poda wouldn't hear him.

"Sweetheart! Oh, I'm so glad I caught you. Listen, I'm stuck at work and I won't be able to take Tommy to his dentist appointment this afternoon," Amanda began.

"Amanda? Amanda! Oh, thank God!" Lee breathed, Francine and Billy jumping to their feet immediately, trying to get a trace on the call.

"Listen, sweetheart, you need to pick Tommy up at school and bring him to his new dentist. Now, Dr. Barrow's office is on the upper floor across the street from that older building where Dr. Adams used to be. And his appointment is at 4:40 this afternoon so you don't want to be late. Make sure you get him there in plenty of time. Oh and don't forget to bring your photo id in case you need it for insurance," Amanda said, hoping Lee would pick up all the clues she could give with Poda listening closely.

"Amanda! Is there anything else you can tell us…. Does the man who took you have any accomplices you know of?" Lee asked understanding he must be close by. He made notes of everything she said knowing he was going to have to interpret the clues to find her.

"Yes, Tommy is going to be scared but he needs to do it alone. His first trip back after being away for a while is always a little scary," Amanda replied. "I might be late getting home but I hope not." Poda's eyes narrowed at her and Amanda could tell he was getting impatient. "Thank you, sweetheart, for getting him there safely. I'll talk to you later. I love you. Bye-bye," she said before hanging up the phone.

Poda stared at, trying to decide what to do next. He walked into another office and came back carrying a length of rope. "I need to go out. You will stay here," he informed her as he began tying her hands to the arms of the chair she was sitting in. She didn't fight back, instead, she just watched him intently hoping she had done enough and Lee would be on his way soon to rescue her.

In the Q Bureau, Lee hung up the phone casting a hopeful look toward Francine. "Did you get it?" she asked someone on the phone and with a sigh replied, "Ok, thanks." Hanging up the phone she explained, "It wasn't long enough. We got it narrowed down to a five-mile radius but that's about it. What was Amanda talking about…. Taking one of the boys to the dentist?"

Lee shook his head, "No, I think she was giving us clues. Her captor must have been right there the whole time. Let's break this down, see what we can come up with."

Francine moved to the whiteboard in the corner of the office, "Ok, what are the obvious clues."

"Ok, she said Tommy, which, as we all know, is not the names of her boys," Lee stated as Francine wrote the name on the board.

"What else did she say that is obvious?" Billy asked, understanding it may take all three of them to decipher the clues.

"She mentioned a time, four forty. And she mentioned two doctors names, Barrows and Adams," Lee said, scratching his head.

"Anything else significant? Anything we can use to identify who grabbed her?" Billy asked, stabbing his hand in the air as he spoke.

"I'm not sure. She mentioned bringing a photo id for insurance. And she said the office is on the upper floor across from the old building, whatever that means. Oh, this is going to be harder than I thought," Lee lamented.

Francine stared at the notes she had made on the board. Taping the marker on her cheek she narrowed her eyes and said, "We need to think like Amanda, so let's start with something obvious. The time. What if that's really a building number."

Billy crossed his arms, resting his one elbow into his palm. "That sounds like an idea that might work, now the name…. Tommy…. Could that be a business in the area?" he asked.

"Nah, thinking like Amanda, she picked it for a reason. Who might she know with the name Tom or Tommy?" Lee suggested.

"Edwards. Tom Edwards. He's been part of our conversations a lot lately. But what about him?" Francine was confused.

"Well, where has she been with him. Here, but we know she's not here…. Then there's the hospital… Do you think that's what she meant by the doctors? She's being held near the hospital?" Lee asked, hope sneaking into his voice.

"No, trace said it's on the other side of the bridge and the hospital isn't far from here," Francine pressed her lips together.

"What about the hotel… The Willard? How close is that to the area?" Billy offered.

"No, The Willard is in the opposite direction. Damn!" Lee swore, becoming frustrated.

"Lee, just calm down. We are going to find her," Francine tried to calm him. "What about who might have her? Did she say anything, any kind of clue?"

"She said … Tommy…. Has to do it alone and that his first trip back after being away for a long time might be scary. What if she means whoever it is, is alone…. And they've been away for a…. I'll be damned. It's Poda! It's gotta be," Lee declared, standing and crossing the room to get closer to the board. "Okay, okay…. So if it is Poda… the photo…. She saw his photo so she  _can_  identify him….and she mentioned Edwards… what if she's being held near Edwards' apartment house?"

Billy looked skeptical. "How would Amanda know where his apartment house is?" he questioned.

Lee turned to Billy as he said, "We went there to get him a few things. His apartment is over on the other side of the bridge… Billy, pull down that street map behind you."

Billy turned and pulled down the map behind Amanda's desk. Lee got closer, staring at the names when he saw it. "Amanda, oh Amanda! You are amazing…. Ok… I have a Barrows Street and Adams Street over about 5 or 6 blocks from Edwards' apartment building."

Francine wrote down everything Lee was saying, "So if we have this right, Poda has Amanda on an upper floor of a building numbered four forty near Barrows and Adams streets?"

"Pretty close, she said it's across the street from the older building so until we get down there, we won't know if she's in building four forty or what. Billy, can you get us some backup?" Lee started to grab his jacket and head toward the door when Billy stopped him.

"I'll do one better than that. As of right now, you are no longer on suspension, Dr. Smyth be damned. I'll have two teams meet you down there. And Lee? One last thing…" Billy stopped.

"Yeah?" Lee asked as he pulled his jacket on.

"Bring her back safely and nail that son of a bitch. No one and I mean, no one kidnaps one of my best agents and gets away with it!" Billy stated with a smile. "Desmond! Go, now!" he commanded as Francine and Lee ran down the hall.


	46. Chapter 46

Amanda sat nervously, listening to the sound of the second-hand tick on the clock on the wall. From her estimate, Poda had been gone for almost thirty minutes. Her arms were getting stiff so she leaned her shoulders forward one at a time to try to work her muscles a little. She had tried to wiggle the chair closer to the windows but she was unable to get between the desk and the wall. All she could do was wait and hope.

Lee and Francine drove frantically toward Edwards' apartment. Lee reviewed the conversation he had with Amanda over and over in his mind. Every few minutes he would confirm what they thought were facts with Francine and each time Francine would answer him affirmatively. Second floor… yes. Number four forty… yes…. Barrows and Adams Streets… yes.

Lee slowed as he drove past Edwards' building, pointing it out to Francine. "There's his place, now keep your eye out," he commanded. As they rolled to a stop at a red light, the car phone between them shrilled, causing both of them to jump. Lee grabbed it, "Stetson. Yeah, Billy, we are just passing Edwards' building, looking for anything that sounds like what Amanda described. Four cars, Agency issue. We won't make a move without them. Yes, Billy… I'll let Francine know." Hanging up the phone, he explained, "Billy's issued backup, two snipers, six ground agents if we need them."

Nodding, Francine replied, "Good, we might need it. You really think it's Poda who has her?"

Lee bit the inside of his lip before replying, "I do. Who else could it be? I mean, we've been pretty quiet lately, no big cases. Not that it couldn't be someone else from our past. I just have this feeling…. Francine, look!" Lee slammed on his brakes and pointed to an older building on the corner of Barrows and Adams Street. The number on the building read four forty. He immediately pulled his car off the road into an alley between two buildings and climbed out, surveying the area.

Reaching back into the car, he punched out the numbers for Billy's direct line and explained the surrounding area. Within minutes, four cars pulled along the street, the other agents pouring out of them. Lee stepped forward, directing the sharpshooters to the roof across the street. He directed the other agents to begin a systematic search of the area while he and Francine began searching inside the buildings.

"Okay, Amanda said the second floor so let's take this one, then move to the next one down," Lee stated as they began to enter the first building across from four forty.

As he pulled the glass door open, Francine pulled him back. "Didn't Amanda say something about an old building?" she asked quickly.

Lee nodded, "Yeah, she said the office we were looking for was across from the old building where Adams used to be… why?"

Francine pointed across the street, "All those building are newer, like this one. Must have been the same developer from the looks of them. But this one," Francine pulled him toward another building, "this one is much older. And it only looks to be two floors. Maybe that's what she was trying to say?"

Looking up at the facade of the building, Lee said, "Great catch, Francine. You're really beginning to think like Amanda!"

Francine pulled out her gun, stating, "Don't ever tell anyone that, you got me?"

Lee laughed loudly as they opened the solid wood front door. Looking across the street before the door closed behind them, Lee could see the two sharpshooters on the roof. He signaled them with a wave of his hand before slipping inside. He followed Francine up the creaky wooden stairs slowly, gun drawn before him. When they reached the landing, Francine gestured up to the next landing where the second-floor hallway awaited them.

In the office, Amanda watched outside as she spotted movement on the roof. Moving her head to the side, she could see a sharpshooter getting into position, gun propped. She let out a sigh of relief knowing Lee was able to find her with the clues she had given him. Her relief was short lived when she heard the rattle of keys in the lock outside. The door pushed open and Poda walked in, slamming the door behind him angrily. Without saying a word to her, he walked across the room into another office and slammed the door again. She heard him talking to someone but his words were muffled through the closed door.

At the other end of the hall, Lee and Francine had just cleared the landing. Both of them had jumped when the door slammed. Reaching into his pocket, Lee pulled out a two-way radio and quietly addressed the team. "Scarecrow to Eagle Eye One, what do you see?"

"Mrs. King in a chair, end of the office, opposite where you entered. A man just entered and is now in another room, the door is closed. No current visual," the crackly voice on the other end stated.

"Eagle Eye Two, do you have visual?" Lee commanded.

"Negative. Shades in the room are drawn fully, no shadows," another voice answered.

Lee looked down the hall then back at Francine, "So we know we're in the right place. Now, let's get Amanda out of here." Francine nodded in reply, quickly moving down the hall. They stopped on either side of the doorway. Lee spoke into the two-way radio quietly one more time, "I need eyes on Mrs. King."

"Eagle Eye One, no movement," one voice replied. The second voice crackled a second later, "Eagle Eye Two, confirmed. No movement."

Twisting the doorknob, Francine tested the lock before nodding at Lee, confirming it was open. Lee slowly pushed the door open and scanned the room for Amanda. He saw her on the other side of the room, her eyebrows high, eyes wide watching he and Francine enter the room quietly. Without saying a word, she looked toward the door Poda had slammed just a few minutes before.

"Are you okay?" Lee whispered as he crossed the room to her.

Before she could reply, the door behind him swung open, a surprised Poda standing with his hand on the doorknob still. "What is…" he began but was cut off as Lee's shoulder collided with his stomach. Inside the small room, Lee's momentum was stopped as Poda made contact with the desk behind him. His body arched over the top of the desk, Lee grabbed a handful of Poda's shirt, his fist balled up ready to strike. Poda managed to get his hand on Lee's chin in an effort to push Lee away and loosen his grip.

As the men fought, Francine scurried across the room to start untying Amanda's bonds. "Oh, Francine, how did you find me so quickly?" Amanda asked as she pulled her left arm loose.

"Let's just say, you managed to give some pretty darn good clues while describing a dentist appointment. I'm glad you're on my side," Francine joked as she pulled the ropes loose from Amanda's right arm. Taking Amanda by the hand, she pulled her toward the door, glancing into the room where Lee and Poda were still fighting.

Poda managed to get his foot leveraged against Lee's hip, pushing him back through the open door. With Lee's hands finally off him, Poda rolled forward off the desk and reached behind his back. Pulling a gun from the waistband of his pants, he immediately pulled the trigger as Lee dove to the side to avoid the bullet. Francine and Amanda ducked behind the open door as Lee palmed his gun looking for a good angle.

From across the street, the two sharpshooters locked onto the two men now near the open windows. They could clearly see Lee ducking down behind the desk. Poda was still halfway in the doorway, his gun drawn, aimed at Lee. Lee lifted his head to take a look, Poda fired off a shot that embedded itself in the wall just about Lee's head.

"Eagle Eye One, locked on target."

Lee tried crawling to the other side of the desk, peeking out from the side. His efforts rewarded with another shot, this time buried into the wooden floor inches away.

"Eagle Eye Two, target in sight."

"Poda, you're not getting out of here, you know that," Lee tried talking to him.

"I am and Dr. Shchavesky has a one-way ticket back to Moscow and should be on his way as we speak," Poda stated, unphased by Lee's announcement. He took two steps into the room completely, leveling his gun at Lee's crouched form. "But you…you will not."

Lee didn't see the sharpshooter but knew his shot was true as Poda's body spun around, the gun dropping from his useless right hand. Poda laid on the ground howling in pain as Lee stood, kicking his gun away. Grabbing the two way he said, "Nice shot, boys. Call an ambulance, this one's gonna need it." Kneeling down, he planted his knee on Poda's chest, completely immobilizing him as he said, "And you picked the wrong woman to mess with. Now, where's Dr. Shchavesky?"

Hearing the gunshots finally stopped, Amanda rushed back into the room. "Lee! Oh, thank goodness you're not hurt. I heard him talking to someone… talking in Russian… the only words I understood were airport, package, and landmark. I don't know what all that means but…."

"Landmark? Landmark, Amanda… of all the Russian words you remember, Landmark?" Lee questioned her.

Hearing Lee's voice, Francine entered the room, another agent steps behind. "Landmark? What landmark?" she asked.

Amanda looked at her and tried to explain again, "He was talking in Russian on the phone… something about a plane, a package, and a landmark. I don't know."

Poda just looked at them, scowling, "You'll never get to him in time. He'll be back in Mother Russia before the sunrises."

Francine rambled the words over and over, "Plane, package, landmark, plane, landmark…wait, Lee! Isn't there a private airport… about a half hour from Dulles called…"

"Landmark Air! That's it!" Grabbing the two-way radio again, Lee changed the frequency. "Billy! Listen, we need a team over at Landmark Air. That's how Poda was sneaking Dr. Shchavesky out of here today," he explained.

"Good job, Scarecrow! I'll have Metro meet them there as well. I heard Amanda's safe and Eagle Eye took out Poda. I'll expect to see you all back here for debriefing and a full report this afternoon," Billy's voice boomed through the small device.


	47. Chapter 47

Amanda and Lee closed the door to the kitchen quietly as they entered. It was just after three in the morning and they were both exhausted. Amanda had called Dotty to explain they were hung up at the office and wouldn't be in until late so she wouldn't worry. She could tell by the tone in Dotty's voice that she may not have believed her but Amanda knew she had to complete the debriefing process before Dr. Smyth gave them a hard time.

Lee yawned loudly as he began to climb the stairs. "Amanda, is that you?" Dotty's voice trailed out from the family room.

"Yes, Mother, but why are you sleeping on the couch?" Amanda asked as she walked back toward the couch.

Dotty sat up and stretched as she replied, "I was concerned. You sounded upset and I got nervous. After all, I'm a mother, that's what I'm supposed to do… worry about my children."

"Aw, Mother, I told you there was nothing to worry about. We just got… hung up…. " Amanda said softly as she felt Lee's hand on her arm.

"Uh huh, and that's what bothered me because you told me I didn't have to worry. So, would you like to explain to me what really happened tonight or do I stay worried?" Dotty crossed her arms and looked at the two of them.

"I told you, Mother…" Amanda began but stopped when Dotty's hand raised.

"Yes, Amanda, you told me you were hung up at work. You told me earlier today you were driving to work and when I went outside, your car was still here. You also told me you going to work to get Lee but later he called here looking for when you were supposed to be with him. So, I'm going to ask you again. What really happened today?" Dotty snapped as she counted off each statement with her fingers.

Lee closed his eyes as he rubbed his forehead. His head was pounding from the long day they had, a lack of caffeine to keep them awake as he listened to Dr. Smyth's constant badgering during his debriefing. "Dotty, do you really want to know? I'll tell you. Amanda's been …. interviewing…. a very nice Russian scientist who is here trying to help the defense department dismantle weapons. Today, someone decided they didn't like the work he's been doing and they tried to use Amanda to their advantage. So, we had to spend the last nine hours answering questions about what we knew through Amanda's research about the good doctor. Now, if you don't mind, I have a splitting headache and I would like to get some sleep, preferably curled up in bed with my wife!"

"Soon-to-be-wife, Sweetheart," Amanda interjected.

"What?" Lee squinted his eyes as he looked at her, confused.

"Soon-to-be-wife… remember… our wedding isn't for a few more weeks. I know we've been practicing, you know…. Mr. and Mrs. Stetson… you're my husband… I'm your wife… to get used to it but… our wedding isn't for a few more weeks. Isn't that right, Mother? Speaking of which, Joe's wedding is this weekend and we are going to have a long couple of days so we should really try to get some sleep now so we won't be so tired at the end of the week. You know, you miss a few hours of sleep here and there and it all seems to catch up to you at some point," Amanda rambled, hoping she could distract her mother enough to walk away without any more questions.

Dotty pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as she looked at Lee, still rubbing his head and Amanda, eyes wide, hands fluttering as she spoke. "Lee, I'll get you some aspirin. And Amanda, you're right, we should get some sleep. I guess I was worried for nothing," she said in a tone that said she wasn't convinced.

"Dotty, aspirin would be very appreciated as would a good night's sleep. Amanda, would you mind bringing those up to me? I'm gonna head up… maybe a quick shower…." Lee replied quietly as he turned toward the stairs.

"Lee Stetson, you stop right there!" Dotty demanded, taking everyone by surprise. Lee froze in his tracks and watched as she stood up and walked over to him, placing her hand on his forehead, then on his cheeks. "No, no fever. That's good. Your eyes are pretty glassy but that's probably from lack of sleep. When was the last time you drank anything?"

"I don't… I don't... Remember… a few hours ago maybe?" Lee stammered thoroughly confused.

Dotty walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. She opened the bottle of aspirin and shook a few out into her hand before shoving the water and pills at Lee. "Take this! And drink the whole glass. I'm watching you," she commanded, propping her hand on her hip, leaning the other against the counter.

Lee popped the aspirin in his mouth and drained the glass quickly, almost fearful of what Dotty would do next if he didn't. To some degree, she scared him more than the Colonel did.

Handing the now empty glass back to Dotty, she replied, "Good, now go! Both of you. Get some sleep. I'll take care of the boys in the morning."

"Thank you, Mother," Amanda replied as she steered Lee toward the stairs before Dotty changed her mind. Once in her bedroom, Amanda closed the door and continued to push Lee toward the bathroom. "Take a shower, you'll feel better," she said quietly.

Lee stepped into the small room then turned around and asked with a mischievous grin on his face, "Want to join me?"

Shaking her head, Amanda simply replied, "No, now go." When the door was closed, she quickly changed into her favorite cotton nightgown and crawled between the covers on the bed. She was almost asleep when she heard the water turn off and minutes later felt the bed shift as Lee climbed in beside her. Instinctively, she shimmied back to nestle against his body where they finally fell asleep together.

Lee sat up abruptly when the phone rang at eight o'clock. Reaching across Amanda, he grabbed the phone midway through the second ring and whispered loudly, "Hello?"

"Scarecrow? Are you still sleeping?" Billy asked.

Lee looked down at Amanda who was still curled up, her pillow partially pulled over her head. "Yeah, we didn't get back until almost three. What's up?" Lee asked as he yawned and rubbed his hand through his hair, trying to wake himself up more.

"Internal Affairs called. They have called a judgment conference today. You and Amanda need to be here by ten o'clock. The conference begins at eleven," Billy explained.

Lee looked around the room but couldn't see the alarm clock. "What time is it now?" he asked.

"Just after eight. Listen, I know you didn't get much sleep but this is important. This could mean your job. I'll see you when you get here," Billy replied quietly.

Lee hung up the phone and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. He rubbed his face with his hands before sitting up again. Placing his hand on Amanda's shoulder, he shook her gently, "Amanda. Amanda, we have to get up. That was Billy on the phone. Judgment is set today."

"Hmmm? What?" Amanda replied sleepily.

"Come on. We have to go," Lee tried again.

"It's too early," she groaned. Amanda wiggled her hips backward until she was resting against Lee's body again and settled herself once more.

Lee smiled and a thought crossed his mind. He knew one way to wake her up that worked almost without fail. He rolled back onto his side and began rubbing her leg with his hand. Amanda hummed in response. Slowly, he inched his way up her thigh and across her stomach. Amanda wiggled her hips again and whispered, "It's not happening."

Lee grinned as he moved his hand across her stomach toward the waistband of her panties. Amanda covered his hand with hers in an effort to slow the gradual progression of his hand. Lee kissed her exposed skin on her shoulder as he tickled her. He snuck his fingers under the band and Amanda whispered, "You don't play fair."

"Who said I was playing…not yet anyway," he teased into her ear before kissing the sensitive skin behind it. Amanda leaned her head forward, allowing Lee more access to her neck. As his hand moved lower, he gently nipped the skin just below her hairline on her neck.

His hand moved lower, finding her apex, where he began a rhythmic motion with his fingers. Just as he was about to slip one inside, Amanda's bedroom door opened and Dotty poked her head in, "Lee, I'm sorry if I woke you but did you hear the phone? I was in the shower and wasn't sure."

Amanda groaned into the pillow and Lee replied, "Yes, sorry Dotty, that was work. Amanda and I have an emergency meeting for this morning. I was just waking Amanda up."

"Everything okay at work? Does this have to do with what happened yesterday?" Dotty asked nervously.

Lee nodded as he replied, "Partly, yes. Listen, would you mind starting some coffee. I know I'm definitely going to need some." He still hadn't moved his hand, almost afraid that if he did, Dotty would know exactly what he was doing to Amanda.

"Coffee? Sure. How about some eggs? After all, breakfast is…" Dotty sang.

"The most important meal of the day. Yes, Mother, eggs and coffee would be good," Amanda finished her sentence. Opening her eyes, she rubbed them with the heel of her hands. "And can you check if we have any Visine. I feel like I have sand in my eyes, they're so dry."

"Will do, Darling!" Dotty said as she closed the door. Neither one moved until they heard Dotty's footsteps heading down the stairs.

"Leave it to my mother to interrupt us just when things were getting good," Amanda groaned. "Good morning, Sweetheart," she said as she leaned her head back against Lee's shoulder, twisting to kiss his cheek.

Lee's cheek twitched in frustration as he replied, "Well, it was getting to be a good morning but I guess now we should get moving. I don't want to give your mother another reason to come up here to find us again."

Slowly he moved his hand, as Amanda complained. "You owe me for this one, Buster!"

Laughing, Lee pushed the covers off and climbed off the bed. As he pulled on his robe, he said, "Tell you what, you shower first, I'll go get some coffee and keep Dotty occupied with wedding questions."

Amanda stood and walked toward Lee, stopping as she ran her fingers down his chest. "Or, you can join me in the shower and finish what you just started," she said as she bit her bottom lip.

Lee swallowed hard before nodding, "I never like to leave anything unfinished…."


	48. Chapter 48

Lee sat nervously at the conference table, rocking a pen back and forth between his fingers. Amanda sat beside him, straightening the pencils that were left there, organizing them by length just to keep her fingers busy. Billy had brought them in almost twenty minutes before and they were waiting for the team from Internal Affairs to arrive to give them the final decision.

When the door opened, Lee's head shot up, but when he saw Francine holding the door open for Edwards, he looked away in frustration. He hobbled his way into the room, grimacing each time his foot hit the floor. Without a second thought, Amanda jumped to her feet and pulled out the closest chair for him to sit in. Edwards looked up at her with a thankful nod but he didn't say a word. Lee just watched, the muscle twitching wildly in his cheek.

Francine and Billy entered and sat down across from them. Billy was just about to say something when the door opened and Dr. Smyth walked in, followed by Mrs. Frampton and three additional agents. The agents found seats at the head of the table, except Dr. Smyth who chose to stand, leaning into the corner, his cigarette handle dangling from his teeth.

"Thank you all for being here on such short notice. I know the last week hasn't been easy on any of you, especially you, Mr. Stetson, so I'll make this meeting brief," Mrs. Frampton stated. Opening a file before her, she continued, "After careful consideration of all the facts and a thorough examination of the audio files we obtained, we have decided you will NOT be charged with Conspiracy Entrapment and you did everything in your power to prevent Veronica Tucker from injuring any civilians. And in light of yesterday's capture of Victor Poda and the rescue of Dr. Shchavesky, it is our recommendation to release your suspension with full pay retroactive to the date of your suspension."

"Wait, so I'm no longer on suspension? And you're actually going to back pay us? All of us?" Lee asked incredulously.

With a smile, Mrs. Frampton nodded, "Yes, Mr. Stetson, effective immediately."

"I don't understand, last week you were ready to throw the book at me… what's the sudden change?" Lee asked suspiciously.

"Lee, don't you get it? You won! Now, shhh," Francine hissed across the table.

"Mrs. Frampton, you mentioned audio tapes influenced your decision. Can I ask, what you're referring to? We hadn't heard any audio tapes from the attempted capture and subsequent shooting of Veronica Tucker unless this is new evidence I am unaware of," Billy questioned with a smug look on his face.

Dr. Smyth removed the cigarette holder and stated, "It's simple, Billy. We have new audio recognition software that is cued by voice. When Scarecrow called in, he was immediately recorded."

Billy stood, his eyes narrowing as he demanded, "So in other words, you bugged my phone?!"

"No, no, no, not just yours… all the phones here. You see, we need to protect ourselves from situations just like this one. If we didn't have that, now where would Scarecrow be? Probably hanging in a field somewhere," Dr. Smyth replied dryly.

"So spies for spies, is that what we are boiling down to?" Lee asked.

"Not at all, Mr. Stetson. This is a direct order from the President himself. He wants to be sure that we aren't working above the law because we ARE the law. Over time, the voice recognition system will show we do everything in our power to cooperate with local authorities and the system will be removed. But be thankful, because, without it, I agree with Dr. Smyth. Our findings would have been very different," Mrs. Framption stated. Standing, she closed the file and said, "I know you're a good agent, Mr. Stetson. And Mrs. King, I understand there are some congratulations over a job well done yesterday. How did you ever manage to convince Poda to let you make a phone call?"

Amanda blushed at Mrs. Frampton's compliment. Shrugging her shoulders she replied, "I just tried to appeal to his human side I guess."

Laughing, Billy said, "I didn't know he had a human side!" Everyone in the room laughed along with him. "But seriously, Amanda, your quick thinking was outstanding. If it wasn't for you, Dr. Shchavesky would be in Russia and most likely not alive right now."

Amanda looked at Billy and smiled, "Well, if it wasn't for Francine and Lee deciphering my clues they would never have found me to find him. I guess when we all work together for a common goal, we succeed."

"Quite right, Mrs. King," Dr. Smyth interjected.

"And we are all on the same side," Mrs. Frampton concluded. She picked up the file folder and walked toward the door, the other agents following her. "Just one more thing. You're all good agents. It would be a shame to lose any of you."

Francine, Lee, and Amanda smiled and nodded as the small group left the room, leaving Dr. Smyth lingering at the door. Billy looked over at him and asked, "Is there anything else or can I dismiss my agents so they can get back to work protecting this country?"

"Your agents are free to return although I understand Mr. Edwards here has a date with Dr. Pfaff this afternoon. Sounds like Veronica did a number on your mind as well as your hip, Son," Dr. Smyth stated.

Edwards looked up from the table where he was still sitting. A thin veil of sweat was covering his face, beginning to bead up on his top lip. He wiped it away with the back of his hand as he replied, "I don't…I don't like shrinks…they, um, they make me nervous."

Dr. Smyth smiled, the cigarette holder clamped in his teeth again, "No worries. Just ask him to share his ice cream and everything will be just fine. See you later, children." He strolled across the bullpen, his hands buried in his pockets, leaving a wispy trail of smoke behind him.

"Sir?" Edwards addressed Billy.

"Yes, Edwards?" he replied as he turned to face him. "Is something wrong?"

"I just…I think I may owe everyone an apology, for my behavior recently. Especially you, Mrs. King...and Mr. Stetson," Edwards began, his voice shaking.

Amanda put her hand on his arm, "Tom, you don't…" she started but he cut her off.

"I do. My…" he paused, "My Mom called me. She told me you called her to find out... " he stopped again, swallowing hard. "I never went to therapy when my dad died. I was supposed to, my mom begged me to go but I was too much of a macho man to go. I thought I could handle it all on my own. I was wrong."

Lee bit the inside of his lip, trying to decide if he was being sincere or trying to manipulate all of them. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "So why now? What grand revelation did you have to bring on this insight all of a sudden?"

Edwards looked at him, his eyes wide with fear, "What happened with Veronica…Mr. Stetson, I've never been this scared of anything in my entire life. I've been sitting at home alone the last few days in pain like I've never felt before. I realized how alone I really was. No one to help me move around, no one to get my pain meds when I hurt too much to get them myself and all I can say is I don't want to die without experiencing a real relationship. I don't want to live the rest of my life thinking something I did hurt someone."

"But you know what you did was wrong? You can't just expect people to forget things you said and done just because you say you're sorry," Lee grumbled.

"I know that, Mr. Stetson, and if there was something I could do to go back and do it over again knowing the selfish way I behaved affected so many people, I would but I can't. All I can do now is change for the future," Edwards said hesitantly.

Amanda smiled at Lee as she rubbed Edwards' arm reassuringly. "Why don't Lee and I bring you down to Dr. Pfaff's office?" she suggested. Lee watched Edwards and waited for some kind of reaction or comment but when it didn't come he nodded in approval. As he stood, he offered his hand to Edwards helping him up.

"You're a good agent, now let's see if Dr. Pfaff can make you a better man," he stated. Together they helped Edwards' stand and shuffle toward the door Billy was holding open for them. The trio slowly made their way toward the elevator.

"Scarecrow? Mrs. Marston is on the phone for you," Mary from the steno pool stated holding up the phone. Lee raised his eyebrows at Amanda, confused. Amanda raised her shoulders in a silent reply.


	49. Chapter 49

Taking the phone, he said, "Scarecrow. Hi, Mrs. Marston. Yes, yes we just got out of our meeting. Yes, Amanda is here with me, too. Of course, I'll send her right up. Tell her to hang on, Amanda will be there in just a minute." Hanging up the phone, he turned back to Amanda standing by the door with Edwards. "Amanda, Lauren is upstairs with Charlie. Would you mind bringing her down? I'll take Edwards down to Pfaff."

"Of course, Sweetheart. Is Harry here, too?" Amanda asked.

Shaking his head, he replied, "No, I don't think so. Mrs. Marston just said Lauren and Charlie."

"I'll meet you downstairs then," Amanda answered as she walked down the hall quickly toward the elevator.

Edwards pushed himself higher on his crutches as he attempted to walk a little faster. "Take your time, there's no rush. Pfaff isn't going anywhere, believe me," Lee encouraged him to slow down. As they moved slowly toward the elevators, Lee said, "You must really miss your dad. I know I miss mine, more than I ever thought I would."

Edwards looked up at him, confused. "Your dad died too?"

Lee nodded, biting his bottom lip as he did. "My mom too. They were killed in a car accident. I was only five years old at the time," he said quietly.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know...how did you get over that? I mean I know it was a long, long time ago…" Edwards said solemnly.

"It wasn't THAT long ago," Lee joked as they rounded the corner only a few steps from the elevator doors.

Edwards laughed when he realized how he sounded. "Do you ever wonder how your life would be different if the accident hadn't happened?" he asked as he leaned against the wall to rest.

"Everyday. But then I met Amanda. She gave me a new outlook on life, gave me a reason to think of something other than just work. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do but now, I'm looking forward to our future," Lee said with a smile as the elevator doors opened and Amanda and Lauren were inside, Charlie already in Amanda's arms. "Hey, Charlie," Lee said immediately as he took his tiny hand in his.

Amanda and Lauren stepped to the side so Lee and Edwards could step into the car with them. "Lauren, this is Tom Edwards, a freshman agent. Tom, this is Lauren Proctor and her son, Charlie," Amanda introduced them.

Edwards immediately rubbed Charlie's head as he said, "Hey, little man. You're pretty cute." Balancing himself on one crutch, he offered his hand to Lauren, "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Proctor."

"Miss…Miss Proctor…Lauren, please," Lauren stuttered. She rubbed Charlie's back for a moment then turned to Amanda, "Are you sure you don't mind keeping an eye on him again? Harry was going to take him but he had an appointment…for his heart I think he said."

"Lauren, I told you upstairs, Charlie is welcome to hang out with us anytime. I'd love to take him home for my mother to meet him one day. She'd fall in love with him in a heartbeat," Amanda answered with a smile.

"We're still in the process of looking for a place here but I haven't found anything just yet. Harry's been helping when he can. Christina's wonderful but she hasn't been around too many little ones so, between us, I think she gets nervous when he cries," Lauren admitted.

The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival on Dr. Pfaff's floor. Slowly, the group walked together at Edwards' speed. "Have you started looking for work yet?" Lee asked, knowing how difficult her move from Virginia Beach was going to be but she had explained she had nothing left there except her job, no other family to help her.

"I have but right now I need to focus on Charlie and finding a place. Packing is pretty hard with him around. He's not content to stay in one place very long anymore," she replied, rubbing Charlie's leg while he happily gnawed on his hands.

"Lauren!" Dr. Pfaff's voice floated across the office waiting room. "Scarecrow, you're a sight for sore eyes!" the doctor slapped Lee on the arm, "who do you have here?"

"This is Tom Edwards, I believe Billy set up an evaluation with you," Lee stated as Edwards shuffled toward the soft chairs in the waiting room. He lowered himself down and groaned when he finally settled himself down.

"Edwards… Edwards…. Edwards…" Pfaff snapped his fingers, trying to recall the name, "Yes….. You're the poor sap Veronica Tucker nailed the other day. I have another session before you so why don't you make yourself comfortable… wait… how comfortable can you be with a busted hip," Pfaff laughed.

Lee covered his mouth to hide the grin that threatened to reveal his dimples as Amanda turned to Charlie to hide her smile. She bounced him lightly on her hip as she said, "Want to head back upstairs with me?"

"Thank you so much, again. I really don't know what I would do without you both. Charlie just took a great nap so he's probably going to be very active for a bit. Just watch out, he's putting everything in his mouth right now." Lauren explained.

"My mom used to freeze a washcloth when we were teething. Sometimes she would soak it in watered down juice for an extra treat," Edwards spoke quietly.

"Really? Did it work?" Lauren asked, genuinely interested in his suggestion.

"My little brother wouldn't make a peep for hours after," Edwards smiled as Lauren looked back at him. Amanda glanced over at Lee, her eyebrows raised. Lee gave a gentle shrug of his shoulders.

Still smiling, she replied, "I'll have to try that. This is all new to me…."

"Well, the child-rearing tips are going to have to wait until later," Pfaff interrupted them. "Lauren, follow me, Edwards, kick back, relax…Oh, wait…you want a popsicle?"

Lee dropped his head back laughing loudly. "Come on, Amanda, let's take Charlie upstairs to see Billy then maybe… Lauren, would you mind if we took Charlie out for a walk? It's nice outside, maybe some fresh air would be good for him. I think there's a little park down the street…" Lee said thoughtfully

Lauren smiled again as she said, "Charlie would love that, I'm sure."

"Well, then, it's settled, Scarecrow and Mrs. King are going to take the mini-human for a walk and I'm going to help the two of you work through whatever you need to work through," Dr. Pfaff announced as he pushed Lee and Amanda toward the elevator. Glancing back over his shoulder he said quietly, "Come back in three hours… I have a feeling about these two."

"Really?" Amanda sounded surprised. Lee pushed the call button and casually leaned against the wall to watch Edwards and Lauren chatting already.

"Stranger things have happened, Mrs. King. Look at you and Scarecrow," Pfaff announced with a wiggle of his eyebrows as he walked backward into the waiting room.

Amanda and Lee took Charlie to Billy's office where the trio was greeted with smiles from both Billy and Francine. "I have to say, Scarecrow, the more I see you with him, the more I believe you could actually…" Billy laughed.

"He could actually what?" Francine cut him off. She was touching Charlie's little, socked feet, still trying to reconcile Lee was holding him.

"Be a father someday," Billy finished, chuckling still. "How long will you two be babysitting?" he asked Amanda.

"For the next few hours, Sir. The weather is so nice today, we thought we'd take Charlie for a walk," Amanda replied, then added, "You should see him with my boys. The more time he spends with them, you can see he's really getting the hang of parenting."

"You think so? We have been handling some things better, especially preparing meals. I'm pretty sure I make a mean lunch sandwich at this point and dinner has been an adventure each time. Actually, Billy, you should come over…See for yourself. We could do burgers on the grill, maybe Dotty could whip up some potato salad… Tomorrow night? What do you say?" Lee asked enthusiastically.

"This sounds like a dinner I don't want to miss. Let me just check in with Jeannie and I'll let you know this afternoon," Billy nodded.

"You too, Francine. We can talk about any remaining wedding plans while the boys play ball in the backyard or skateboard around the neighborhood," Amanda added.

Francine was still touching Charlie's feet, fascinated at their tiny size. "Another night in the suburbs? This would be…what…twice in a month…. I think I can handle that," she replied with a smile. "But only if Amanda will make those chocolate chip cookies…"

"Then it's settled. Dinner at Amanda's tomorrow night," Lee declared as he shifted Charlie from one shoulder to the other. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to take Charlie out for a bit."


	50. Chapter 50

Charlie cooed and laughed as Lee bounced him lightly as they walked outside in the sun. Amanda walked beside him, gently reaching up to touch him every few minutes. They walked in the direction of the park Lee had mentioned, basking in the stressless feeling they both had. An older woman stopped them on the street to comment how cute Charlie was and what an adorable little family they were. Amanda blushed, not having the heart to explain they were only watching him as Lee politely spoke with her. After a few minutes, Charlie became restless so Lee passed him to Amanda and said goodbye to their new friend.

They reached the park which was mostly empty due to the hour of the day. It was lunchtime and the few families sprinkled around were sitting on blankets having picnics in the sun or gathering their young children to take them home for lunch. They found an empty infant swing and placed Charlie in it, taking turns pushing him gently as they talked.

"Well, I'm glad that's over," Lee said quietly, looking around the park.

Amanda nodded as she smiled at Charlie, "Do you think it's really over? You don't think Dr. Smyth has anything else up his sleeve do you?"

Lee gave Charlie another gentle push, "Dr. Smyth has always had his own agenda, you know that. He's going to hold some little tidbit in his back pocket and pull it out when he thinks he needs the upper hand. But right now, today," Lee stopped to pick Charlie up out of the swing, "I'm not going to think about anything but you," he leaned forward to give Amanda a quick kiss. "And Charlie," he continued as he looked at the baby and bounced him lightly eliciting a laugh, "and our own family. So let's head back, stop at that deli down the street and see what looks good for lunch."

Taking Charlie from Lee, Amanda leaned forward and kissed him again, "That sounds like the perfect way to celebrate." Together, they slowly made their way toward the deli, picked up sandwiches and drinks. Lee carried Charlie back to the Agency and Amanda carried their lunch.

Mrs. Marston smiled as they walked in the Georgetown entrance. "Looking good, Scarecrow," Mrs. Martson said as she watched them climb the stairs to the Q Bureau. Lee sat at his desk, Amanda across from him as they ate together, Charlie babbling away. Amanda laughed on more than one occasion when Charlie made an effort to swipe Lee's sandwich onto the floor by grabbing the paper wrapping or with a well-timed swing.

They both jumped when the phone rang, breaking the comfortable silence of the room. Amanda picked it up first, "IFF, How can I help you?"

"Mrs. King? This is Patricia Cassidy in Acquisitions, is Mr. Stetson there?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Sure is, hold on one minute," Amanda replied as she put the phone on hold. "Here, give me Charlie, it's Patricia Cassidy from Acquisitions." She picked up Charlie and moved to sit with him on the couch as Lee picked up the phone.

"Miss Cassidy, it's Lee Stetson, what can I do for you?" Lee asked after punching the hold button.

"Mr. Stetson, all your approvals have gone through with the Agency Credit Union. We just need to schedule a time for you and Mrs. King to sign off on the mortgage and title exchange. Unfortunately, I'm leaving shortly and won't be back until the end of the week," Miss Cassidy explained.

"Wow, that was fast!" Lee exclaimed. He covered the mouthpiece on the phone and whispered, "she needs to schedule a time for us to sign everything." Amanda's eyes widened and her mouth quickly formed an "O" that spread into a large smile. "What about Friday morning? Will you be back by then?" he asked.

"Friday morning. I'll pencil you in for 10:00 and unless something changes, we will see you then," Miss Cassidy stated before hanging up the phone.

Lee hung up the receiver and stood up quickly, moving around the desk to pull Amanda to her feet, careful not to scare Charlie. He pulled her close for a deep kiss, burying his hand in her hair. Amanda moaned appreciatively, sliding her free arm around Lee's waist to pull him closer. Lee was just about to pull her closer, when they heard a knock at the door, just before it opened and Francine walked inside. She took one look at the two of them entwined, Charlie on Amanda's hip. "Keep that up and you'll have your own Charlie sooner than you think," she teased. "I came up here to give you a warning, Dr. Smyth is on his way up."

Lee and Amanda separated quickly, Lee taking Charlie again to lean against his desk. Amanda began clearing the remnants of their lunch just as Dr. Smyth entered. "Well, well, well, Scarecrow, you're full of surprises lately, aren't you? Turning your office into a daycare so soon?"

Lee bit the inside of his cheek before he replied cooly, "Dr. Smyth, this is Charlie, Harry V. Thornton's grandson. His mom, Lauren, is downstairs with Dr. Pfaff and Harry was supposed to watch him but had an appointment he couldn't miss."

Dr. Smyth opened his jacket to take out the cigarette holder and his silver engraved cigarette case. As he opened the case and removed one slender cigarette, Amanda moved toward him and stated firmly, "If you need to smoke that, you're going to have to do it anywhere but here. There is a baby in this office right now."

"Mrs. King, it appears you've mistaken me for someone who cares. Baby or no baby, I'll smoke this wherever I damn well please," Dr. Smyth bit down on the holder as he inserted the cigarette into the other end.

Before he could reach into his pocket for his lighter, Amanda reached out and snatched the cigarette, crumpling it in her hand. She reached down and lifted his hand, sprinkling the remnants into his palm. "Excuse me, Dr. Smyth, this belongs to you and there's the door," Amanda pointed firmly.

Dr. Smyth stood, rolling the empty holder from one side of his mouth to the other, eyeing Amanda. He placed the engraved case back into his jacket pocket and dumped the tobacco and paper in his hand onto the floor, brushing his hands together. "Be sure to clean that mess up before the tyke puts something in his mouth," he stated as he strolled toward the door. "Toodle-ooo children," he announced before he continued down the hall.

When they heard the hall door close, Amanda balled up her fists and taking two long strides toward the door closed it with a bang. "Ooh not this time, buster! That man thinks he can come right in here and do whatever he pleases, well he has another thing coming, I'll tell you!"

The closing door startled Charlie, who immediately began crying. Just as Lee was about to bounce him to calm him, the phone rang setting Charlie off louder. "Amanda. Amanda." Lee tried calling her over the din but she was distracted muttering continuously under her breath as she opened the closet door to get a broom. "A-man-da!" he snapped to get her attention.

Amanda stopped and turned to see Charlie completely red-faced and Lee staring at the phone which was still ringing. She practically ran across the office and picked up her extension, "Hello, IFF. Yes, Dr. Pfaff, Lee and I can come down. Thank you. We'll be there in a few minutes." She hung up the phone then turned to take Charlie from Lee, "I'm sorry, I lost my temper. Here, Charlie…. Shh shh shh."

Lee took the broom, swept the mess off the floor and stated, "This is all cleaned up. Let's go get Lauren and Edwards then head home to the boys. I think I could use some time with them tonight. You know… family time."


	51. Chapter 51

"Mother, do you think I should make more cookies or is that enough?" Amanda asked as she surveyed the racks of cooling chocolate chip cookies on the counter before her.

"Are you feeding a small army or just having friends over for dinner?" Dotty teased as she washed the last bowl and placed it face down in the dish strainer.

Amanda counted each rack and mentally divided the number by two to figure out how many ice cream sandwiches they could make. "I guess this should be enough, even though Francine will be here" Amanda smiled.

"And that Mr. Melrose, I have to tell you, Amanda, I'm not sure how I should feel about all of this. I mean, it's one thing to know he's a Federal Agent, it's another to think you work with him and he's sometimes, what did you say he was again?" Dotty planted her hand on her hip after tossing the dish towel over her shoulder.

"Sometimes he's like my boss," Amanda said, trying hard to avoid eye contact. She hated lying to her mother still but she knew it was easier this way. "You'll like his wife, Jeannie. She's very nice, Mother."

"Well, I can't say that I'm not surprised. When you and Lee came home and said you wanted to invite them for dinner to go over wedding plans, I don't know, Amanda, I just didn't think," Dotty said as she opened the refrigerator and started pulling out the ingredients to make a salad.

"Didn't think what, Mother? That Lee and I are really getting married or that Billy and Francine will be standing up there with us?" Amanda laughed as she began moving the cooled cookies into a container.

Dotty stopped peeling the cucumber as she looked at Amanda and said, "I just didn't think Mr. Melrose could be friends with someone like Lee, I guess."

Amanda stifled her laugh as she turned away, putting the container on the counter. "What makes you think that Mother?" she asked.

"Lee is so warm, and that Mr. Melrose-" Dotty began but Amanda cut her off.

"Call him Billy, Mother, please. When you get to know him, you'll see he and Lee aren't much different. He's serious when he needs to be, just like Lee and when he's relaxed, he's a very nice man," Amanda explained.

Dotty waved the knife she was holding in the air as she stated, "Well if he's anything like he was the last time he was here, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

"Not holding that knife you won't, Mother," Amanda laughed as she added, "That might be considered assaulting a federal officer."

Dotty was about to reply when Lee knocked on the back door before opening it. "Lee, why did you knock? This is your home just as much as everyone else that lives here," Dotty reprimanded him with a smile.

"Dotty, I don't live here. I want to respect that," Lee stated, confused by her comment.

Narrowing her eyes at Lee, she pointed the knife in his direction as she said, "You make dinner with my grandsons, you sleep with my daughter and you shower here in the morning. Your clothes hang in my daughter's closet AND I've noticed your laundry appearing in ours more and more. Your license might not say you live here but I hate to tell you, you live here more days than at your own apartment."

Lee looked at Amanda who was standing behind her mother blinking slowly, trying to process exactly what Dotty had just stated. "You know what, Mother, you're right. And the only thing Lee doesn't have is his own key. He's been using the spare one we keep in the flower pot for the boys if he needs it," she answered.

Lee moved forward and put his hands on Dotty's shoulders lightly as he said, "Thank you, Dotty, I'm going to go upstairs and change out of my suit in OUR bedroom." He smiled as he kissed her cheek lightly, before moving toward the stairs.

"And while you're up there, can you get the trash from all the rooms. Pick up is tomorrow," Dotty called as Lee was halfway up the stairs. Amanda tilted her head as Dotty stated, "What? He can do his part too, right?" Amanda shook her head and closed her eyes. "Well, he can, can't he?" Dotty demanded lightly.

Amanda replied, "Yes, Mother. Billy and Francine should be here any minute, I'm going to have the boys finish up their homework. Just promise me you'll behave tonight, please?" Without waiting for a reply, Amanda ran up the stairs toward Phillip and Jamie's room. "Hey fellas, our company is going to be here soon," she announced as she slowly pushed the door open. "What are you two doing in here?" she asked. On each bed, there were piles of clothes, books, and toys.

"We're sorting out our stuff, you know, for when we move," Jamie explained as he pointed to each pile. "This pile is stuff that doesn't fit me anymore, those are toys I don't play with and these are books we can donate to the library. Same with Phillip's but his clothes might fit me, so once I have room, I'll look through those."

"Who are you and what have you done with my boys?" Amanda teased as she stepped into the room, surveying their work.

"Aw, Mom, we're just trying to help, you know, for when we have to start packing to move to the new house," Phillip explained as he dumped another drawer of clothes on his bed.

Amanda stretched her arms out and gently commanded, "Come here," as she hugged both her boys, "I don't think I tell you enough how much I love you."

"That goes for me too," Lee interjected from the doorway. He had changed into a pair of jeans and Amanda's favorite striped button-down shirt. He'd overheard their conversation as he came down the hall. "You boys have been a big help to your mother and me and I know I don't say how much you two mean to me. Which is why, I think this would be a good time to tell them about the idea we had for our weekend away," he looked at Amanda.

"You tell them, Sweetheart. It was your idea," Amanda bit her bottom lip, hoping her boys would be just as excited as she was for their first vacation as a family.

"Hang on," Lee held up one finger before he went to Amanda's bedroom to retrieve the pamphlet they had brought back from Virginia Beach about the upcoming Neptune Festival. Handing the flyer to Jamie he said, "How about the weekend in Virginia Beach, just us? There's the beach, a sandcastle competition we can see, art shows, music…" Lee's voice trailed off as he ran out of activities to entice the boys with but Phillip jumped in with an idea of his own.

"Girls in bikinis!" he shouted, yanking the flyer from Jamie's hands. He nodded his head as he skimmed the pages, looking for as many girls as he could find. Amanda shook her head as she gently took the pamphlet back.

"What about Grandma?" Jamie asked as he stared at Lee, blinking.

Lee nodded and replied, "If she wants to come to, I don't see why not. We can get two separate rooms so she can have her own space and we can all stay in one room if that's okay."

"Sounds good to me!" Phillip replied enthusiastically,"When do we leave?"

Lee looked over at Jamie, who still didn't seem as excited as Phillip, "Jamie? What do you think? You want to go?"

Jamie made a face before he replied, "Lee, I don't want to sound like I don't want to go but…"

"Then don't say anything, Wormbrain and let's go!" Phillip interrupted his brother.

"Hey, hey, hey, Jamie has a right to give his input on this, too. I mean wouldn't it be a weekend vacation for him too and if he doesn't want to go then he should be able to say that," Lee reprimanded Phillip.

Jamie took a step forward and pushed his glasses up as he looked at Lee and replied, "I want to go, I really do, I just don't want to spend the whole weekend on the beach looking at girls. Not that I don't want to look at girls but I don't want that to be the ONLY thing we do all weekend. I know he'll want to look at girls and Lee, I'm sure you won't mind looking at the women I just don't want to spend all weekend doing that."

Lee and Amanda took one look at each other and erupted in laughter. Amanda hugged her youngest son tightly as Lee replied, "First of all, the ONLY woman I want to look at is your mother and second of all, there will be plenty of things for us to do that don't include looking at girls."

Before anyone could reply, the doorbell rang and Dotty called up the stairs, "Lee, Amanda? I think your guests are here!"

"Come on boys, we can clean this up later. Let's go get dinner started! Billy thinks Lee doesn't know his way around the grill with you fellas," Amanda smiled pushed the boys into the hallway. She watched as they ran down the stairs but took one step back toward Lee. "You did good, Sweetheart. You handled that quite well."

"Well, I meant what I said. The ONLY woman I want to look at is you," Lee kissed her lightly before adding, "Especially if there's no bathing suit involved."

"Oh, you!" Amanda playfully punched him in the arm before she jogged down the stairs to greet Billy, Jeannie, and Francine at the front door.


	52. Chapter 52

Lee stood at the grill, the burgers and hot dogs cooking as Francine, Billy, Jeannie, Amanda, and Dotty sat at the picnic table drinking lemonade and while the boys were tossed a football back and forth. A few times Lee stepped away from the grill, and chatted with the other adults, as his eyes continually watched the food cooking so nothing would burn.

Jamie and Phillip laughed loudly as they tossed the ball as high as they could and challenged the other to catch it. "Boys, just watch out where you throw that," Amanda reminded them gently as she sipped her lemonade.

"Amanda, I can't believe what I'm seeing," Billy stated as he watched Lee flip the burgers and start to layer cheese on them.

"What? The boys playing ball?" she teased knowing he was talking about Lee.

"I need to know who seasoned the burgers because if they taste half as good as the meatloaf the other night, I'm going to need to buy a bigger sized dress for your wedding," Francine laughed.

"Well, I can't take credit for this meal. Lee and the boys seasoned everything and I think there's a little bit of a surprise-" Dotty said and smiled but was cut off by Phillip.

"Jamie, Jamie, go deep!" he yelled as he pitched the ball as high as he could. As he tripped over a tree root as he backed up, the ball wobbling awkwardly toward the house. Jamie, having too much fun, immediately began running backward, not looking behind him.

"Jamie, watch out!" Lee yelled as he dropped the spatula and leaped over the flower bed to tackle Jamie just before he ran into the grill. When his full weight came down on Jamie's body, he rolled to the side, taking Jamie with him. "Are you okay?" Lee immediately dropped to one knee, his hands moving over Jamie's arms and shoulders, checking for any injuries he may have caused.

"Lee, I'm okay, okay, okay," Jamie repeated himself as he straightened his glasses.

Amanda ran over to the two of them, "That was close, are you hurt? Jamie? Lee?"

Phillip watched from across the yard, scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could, sliding onto the ground beside them. "Jamie! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to throw it like that. I tripped, I'm sorry!" he was scared his brother was really hurt.

Jamie, now embarrassed by all the attention pushed Lee away yelling, "I'm fine! All right! I'm fine!"

Amanda, knowing her son, immediately stood up, giving him some space but it was Lee who stayed on Jamie's level. "Hey, Chief! I just want to make sure you're not hurt. I'm a lot bigger than you and I could have caused some serious damage. I would feel horrible if something happened to you because of something I did," he said quietly.

Jamie shifted uncomfortably before he put his arms around Lee's shoulders and said, "I know you would. I'm okay," as Lee hugged him back.

Billy sat at the table beside Francine just shaking his head. A few years ago, he could remember when Lee didn't have any emotions at all. Now he was rapidly becoming the family man no one expected. Francine leaned over and whispered, "I'm still having a hard time believing it myself."

Their quiet moment was broken when Amanda announced, "Lee, I think your burgers are burning."

Lee jumped up and grabbed the spatula off the ground. He wiped it off on his jeans, leaving a streak of grease, before scooping the cheeseburgers and hot dogs onto the awaiting serving platter. He carried the dish to the table as he said over his shoulder, "Go wash your hands, boys."

The remainder of the evening was filled with compliments and good conversation. Jeannie and Dotty hit it off and spent most of the time chatting together as they watched the other adults talk about the remaining wedding plans. The only time Dotty piped up was when she suggested songs for a special dance Amanda wanted with the boys.

"I'm not so sure, Mother, I don't want the boys to feel like they have to dance with me," Amanda said hesitantly.

"Amanda, your father isn't here to dance with you so I think it would be fitting for you to dance with your boys," Dotty stated over her coffee cup.

"But the One That You Love, Mother? You really think that's appropriate?" Amanda shook her head. "I was thinking more like James Taylor's How Sweet It Is."

"What about All You Need Is Love?" Jeannie offered, her hand on Dotty's arm.

"I don't care what song is playing because I love these chocolate chip cookies. Amanda, please tell me you'll share the recipe," Francine interjected drawing a laugh from everyone.

"If you eat any more of those, you're definitely going to need a bigger dress," Amanda teased as she began clearing their dessert dishes.

"Here, Amanda, let me help you with those," Billy stood, rolling up his sleeves.

"Sir, you don't have to do that," Amanda replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Let him, Amanda, he washes dishes better than anyone in our home," Jeannie said with a smile then added, "And after almost twenty-five years, that's saying a lot."

An hour later, all the dishes were washed, the boys had said their goodbyes then headed to their room to finish cleaning up. Billy, Jeannie, and Francine stood outside on the front steps with Amanda and Lee. "Well, Scarecrow, I never thought I'd see the day but you, son, you've done good," Billy stated and clapped Lee on the shoulder.

"And thank you, Jeannie, for keeping Mother distracted. She was nervous about Billy and Francine but would never admit that," Amanda stated and laughed when she heard Dotty call out from the stairs, "I heard that!"

"I expect to see all of you in the morning. Senator Michaels' dinner party went off without a hitch this evening and your reports still need to be finalized," Billy declared, as he slid his arm around Jeannie's waist and escorted her to their car.

Francine bid her own farewell as Lee and Amanda watched the cars drive away. "I can't wait to see their faces when we move to the new house," Lee said as he turned toward the door.

"I was thinking about that. We should take our time, move things little by little, save all the big stuff for last," Amanda suggested.

"Well, for your house, I agree. It's going to take a lot longer to pack your house up than it is my apartment. Maybe once everything is signed and we get the keys, we can start moving boxes into the garage and sort things out from there. My lease isn't up until November first but if we can move everything before that I think it will be easier. And we still need to decide where everything is going, what furniture we're keeping, storing," Lee explained as they sat down in the family room.

"I thought we already agreed that your bedroom set is going in our master bedroom, we can put the family room furniture in the basement, the boys will each have their own rooms now so we can decide what to do with their furniture," Amanda began.

Lee nodded and said, "Maybe we can let them decide if they want to keep their stuff, split it up or now that they are older, get something new. I want them to be just as happy about the move as we are."

"After what we found them doing in their room, I'd say they are," Amanda smiled. She stood and looked around the kitchen one last time before stating, "We should head up to bed. Sounds like Billy has something else in mind for tomorrow other than just our reports. And we have Joe's rehearsal dinner tomorrow night with the boys."

"I like it when you say things like that," Lee teased, his dimples deep as he stood and slipped his hands around her waist.

"What? Joe's rehearsal dinner?" Amanda teased back as she kissed him lightly.

"No, we should head to bed," Lee captured her mouth with his, pulled her closer, as his hand wandered down her back. They were lost in each other when they heard someone cough, surprising them. They jumped apart, Amanda slightly red-faced when she saw Phillip standing at the top of the steps.

"Sorry Mom, Lee. I don't mean to interrupt, I'm just getting a drink. You can get back to what you were doing," Phillip said casually. After he poured his water, he stopped and asked, "Are we really going to Virginia Beach next weekend? For real?"

Lee nodded and replied, "Only if that's what you boys want to do."

"Well, all right. Girls in bikinis here I come!" Phillip said as he jogged up the stairs leaving Amanda and Lee laughing.

"If we can survive the rest of this week, I think we will survive Phillip on the beach," Amanda joked as they climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

Thursday morning brought the typical school morning frenzy, the boys as the boys rushed to get out the door and Lee helped make lunches while Dotty and Amanda made breakfast. Lee and Amanda drove to the Agency where Billy assigned them to day surveillance for the next two days to keep them out of trouble. Their appointment to sign the mortgage papers got rescheduled to Monday so they concentrated on the last minute plans for Joe's wedding. Lee did his best not to complain when Joe went over every detail several times during the rehearsal and again during dinner. Lee was a great help, he helped the boys tie their bow ties and adjust their suspenders. Amanda watched in awe as he interacted with her sons and they, in turn, smiled the entire time, comfortable with Lee. Sitting beside her, Dotty couldn't help but comment, "If Lee does this well now for Joe's wedding, just wait until your own, dear."

"I know, Mother, I never thought when Lee and I first met that he would be part of our family. It's been just us taking care of the boys. It will be good for them to have Lee around," Amanda replied.

"Forget the boys, it will be good for us too, having Lee around," Dotty said and Amanda laughed and replied, "You're so right, Mother!

Amanda and Lee held hands during the ceremony, exchanged glances as Joe and Carrie stated their vows. Amanda's eyes filled with tears when the boys each stood to do their readings during the mass, and even Lee beamed with pride when Jamie got up during the reception to toast Joe and Carrie.

The DJ played one popular song after another until Joe requested "Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe, sung by Ella Fitzgerald. He immediately walked right up to where Amanda and Lee were sitting and said, "Carrie's dancing with her uncle. Amanda, may I have this dance?"

Lee stood, pulled out Amanda's chair then shook Joe's hand before Amanda followed Joe to the dance floor. "Remember when we danced to this at our wedding?" she asked quietly.

"And you never looked more beautiful than you did that day," Joe replied.

Amanda blushed as she began to say, "Joe, you know -" but Joe cut her off.

"I'm glad you've found love again, Amanda. You deserve so much more than I ever gave you and I'm pretty confident Lee's not going to let you down like I did. The boys love him, even a blind man can see that," Joe said as he smiled at the boys talking to Lee at the table. He continued, "Your mother adores him, she didn't stop talking about him and all the wonderful things he's done with the boys the entire time we danced. I know I haven't been easy to deal with since I've been back and I'm sorry about that." Joe stopped and took a breath before he apologized once more, "And what happened last weekend, what I said, well, I'm sorry for that, too."

Amanda kissed him lightly on the cheek before she smiled and said, "You're a good man, Joe King."

The song ended faster than Joe would have liked but when the music changed, he felt a light tap on his arm. Lee stood beside them with a smile on his face as he asked, "May I cut in?"

Joe nodded and mumbled, "Of course." He turned to Amanda before he walked away and said, "Thank you. I'm glad you're both here." He caught Carrie's hand before she walked off the dance floor and spun her into his arms with a big smile.

When the two couples danced closer together, Carrie called over to Amanda, "Only two more weeks right?" Amanda nodded in response, turning back to Lee.

As they swayed together on the dance floor, Lee held Amanda close and whispered in her ear, "Two weeks from today we can stop pretending."

"Two weeks from today it will be official as far as everyone else knows," she whispered back.

"Two weeks from today I can show everyone how much you, the boys and your mother mean to me," Lee smiled.

Amanda smiled back at him, "And two weeks from today we will be a real family, all of us, together."

_To Be continued in Neptune's Blessing_


End file.
